Ride'em
by pink.chocolate.unicorn
Summary: A short little thing about Castiel, Dean, horses and cowboy hats. (Slash. AU. Destiel. Rated M for mature language and content.) Complete.


_(A/N: ____Rated **M** for mature content and language. _

_The random mental image of Dean in only a Stetson and cowboy boots is responsible for this__. Heh. __  
_

_Warnings: AU. MalexMale slash. Hints o' smut. Language. (And I feel it important to note I'm by no means an expert in anything to do with horses/riding, merely a casual hobby when I was younger, so please forgive any glaring errors you might notice.) _

_Enjoy! :))_

* * *

Castiel Novak slowly walked down the wide airport corridor, dragging his carry-on behind him as he looked around. The airport he was in was tiny, at least by comparison to the one he transferred at in Chicago. And hadn't been remodeled since the 80's, at the earliest. He thought the over abundance of faux wood tones was meant to be homey, but it just hurt his eyes. And the faded teal splattered about didn't help matters. He felt like a snob, but he nearly shuddered with revulsion.

He knew where he was because he'd read his boarding pass as his mother pushed him towards the check-in at the airport but he was still having a hard time taking in the fact he was in North Carolina as truth. It was just so... odd. Not to mention he was still pissed off at the forced vacation he'd been sent on with not even an hour notice.

Honestly. His mother was too involved in his life to think she had the right to force him to—as she put it—relax and unwind. He snorted to himself, as if _she_ even knew how to do those things. Then again, how bad off was he when his mother, of all people, thought he was too tightly wound and in need of a life outside his students and airless university office? He still didn't think he was in a rut, or whatever his mother had said as she kissed his cheek and herded him around like a child, but he hadn't a chance to protest before the TSA agent was patting him down and ferrying him forwards with the crowd.

As his gaze swept around the nearly empty lobby, he stopped when he caught sight of his name. He smirked at the cliché of someone awaiting him with a sign and slowly approached the person holding the sign. His eyes traveled up and his steps nearly faltered when he looked at the man behind the sign. Good god, he was going to have to thank his mother- he just knew it.

Castiel really, _really_ tried to keep his gaze in a swiftly moving pattern, and meet the stranger's eyes like a civilized person, but it kept stopping on various detours of the man in front of him. He looked like he came out of a fetish magazine, in all honesty, and he really didn't know what the hell his mother had been thinking.

He was wearing boots on his feet; honest to god cowboy boots that looked like they'd seen better days. The darkly tanned material was tooled into a swirling, but masculine pattern. A pair of dark washed, yet crisp and new looking, denims were tight enough to highlight slightly bowed legs and a generous roomyness in the crotch area (as much as he wanted to linger, he skipped the man's groin all together). His gaze paused on the ridiculously large golden belt buckle that appeared to have some sort of deer (or maybe a horse?) molded in stark relief staring boldly out from his waist. A light green and grey simply patterned flannel shirt with pearl snap buttons covered a toned chest (he refused to admit it _might_ have made him drool—just a little).

His eyes kept going up and he nearly stopped walking again. A handsome, lightly tanned face with the greenest eyes he'd ever seen were just visible past the wide brim of some sort of hat. Light brown hair stuck out in small tufts just under the hat's brim by his forehead and ears.

"Mister Novak?" the tall stranger asked as Castiel approached. Then he smiled, making Castiel pause for a fraction of a second.

Castiel's brow furrowed briefly at the formal name and tone of voice. He hated being called Mr. Novak; it reminded him too much of his father. Not that he wasn't a good man, but they had little in common and people that knew his father expected things of him that he rarely could deliver on.

"Yes," he responded, nodding sharply, trying not to sound anything but bored and put out. He was not at all thrilled to be sent on a forced holiday and he had a feeling this man was an accomplice and probably quite deserving of the bitchy attitude.

Even if the first impression of the man was... quite pleasant.

"Hi," the cowboy said cheerfully and stuck his hand out, waiting patiently for the other man to shake it. He ignored the neatly pressed suit pants and button down the man wore, deciding not to comment on the oddness of such attire. He marveled that the guy had just come off a plane and didn't looked wrinkled (but doing a really good job of giving him a mighty bitch face, though). Even if it looked weird and out of place, the get up did fit him nicely. He tried not to stare and he was pretty confident he did a reasonably good job of it, too.

Castiel just stared at the outstretched hand for a few moments. With a put-upon sigh, he shook it briskly. Once. It was warm, slightly calloused, and sent a tingle through his body. He had to fight to let go and scowled at the man in front of him. The man hadn't gripped harder or refused to let go but he found himself unwilling to let go and it was very annoying. He raised an eyebrow when the man made no move to introduce himself. Where _were_ his manners?

"And you are?" he asked, hating to be at a disadvantage. Plus he was irritatingly curious...

The other man gave a forced smile as he inclined his head, pulling on the brim of his hat slightly. He was rather surprised the suit asked; most people barely looked at him twice and just treated him like hired help. He actually preferred that at times... He tried to ignore the annoyed, pursed lips and slightly narrowed eyes (a lovely blue, hey there) of the man in front of him and squared his shoulders. "Dean Winchester," he said and tipped his head.

Castiel tried to fight his reaction but his eyes widened without his permission. "No," he said in disbelief, his blue eyes flicking all over the man in front of him again. This could _not_ be the fucking owner of the place he'd been forced to visit. "You've got to be kidding me." Out of habit, he turned his phone back on and simply held it, not really giving it much attention as he stared at Dean and trying to figure out if the man normally picked up guests or if his mother was involved and had demanded special treatment. (Either way, it took most of his efforts not to groan in embarrassment.)

"'Fraid not," Dean said with a hint of amusement. He wasn't surprised by the reaction; it wasn't like he made a habit of picking up guests from the airport, after all. He eyed the other man from under his hat, mostly just to look. He grinned when the guy's phone jingled and vibrated, making him jump and nearly drop the phone. "You might wanna get that now," he said, nodding at the guy's palm with his chin. "There ain't cell reception where we're goin'."

He removed his hat, remembering his manners much later than he was comfortable with. He'd spent entirely too much of his time and attention in trying to discretely ogle the dark-haired man. "Really, Mister Novak," he said, when the guy made no move to do it.

Castiel sighed. "Please, call me Castiel."

Dean nodded, a little taken aback. He hadn't expected that, even if the guy seemed aware of who he was. He offered a small smile and suppressed an urge to laugh when blue eyes widened a little and Castiel suddenly found his phone fascinating. The chimes repeated in a quick succession, at least three of them. He wasn't all that surprised, lots of people turned their phones off on a flight and got swamped by messages. He rocked back on his heels and let the guy have a few moments to get his shit together.

"For fuck's sake," Castiel muttered under his breath. His mother sent him three messages, all of them asking if he arrived in one piece and demanding a response the second he was able. She made the damn reservations for the flight and had to be aware of when he'd be landing. He sent a quick, tersely worded, reply that he was alive and about to be abducted by a cowboy and taken into the mountains for kinky farm animal orgies. Luckily, his mother knew him well enough not to call the local police and just sent 'Good! Have fun! :)' in reply. Horrible woman...

"My mother," he said, lifting the phone for a moment, at Dean's questioning look when he sucked his teeth softly in annoyance. "I don't know what she was thinking with this trip. You'd think she'd be very aware of my arrival time and all that," he muttered, mostly to himself.

He rolled his eyes when he read a message from his brother, Gabriel, wishing him happy trails and instructions how to hog-tie a (preferably naked) cowboy. At least now he knew which of his siblings to kill for helping his mother plan this horrible ordeal. He merely sent his brother a link for step-by-step instructions (oooh, complete with illustrations!) on how to self-fellate. There wasn't a reply so he figured he'd distracted his brother enough the world would be safe from his influence for about a week. Two, if he was lucky.

He briefly considered sending a message to his sister, Anna, in case she tried (and failed) to contact him in the next few weeks but he was too irritated. He'd probably say something rude and she (probably) didn't deserve that. He hoped his mother would send word around, if she hadn't already.

"Thanks," Castiel said, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

Dean chuckled. "Welcome", he said merely out of habit. Castiel looked anything but grateful for the chance to check his messages. He looked around the dark-haired man. "Luggage?" He only saw the one carry-on bag and frowned thoughtfully. It really wouldn't hold enough for a week, let alone three.

He was pleased that Castiel didn't ask about where they were going or anything like that. He'd been given express instructions from Mrs. Novak (who, he was slightly relieved to discover, was the gorgeous man's mother and not his wife) not to divulge the exact nature of Castiel's vacation until he was safely at the ranch. Safely behind the fences and in the middle of no where. He understood the instructions now, after talking with the other man and seeing how he held himself.

Dean grinned to himself; this was a man that would stomp off in a hissy fit. It would be refined and most likely very subdued, but a hissy fit nonetheless.

Castiel could feel his eye twitch with annoyance. "No," he huffed and crossed his arms. "I packed what casual clothing I had." He nodded at his single bag and shrugged a shoulder. He hadn't been given much (read;_ any_) notice and he had no idea what to expect. Now he almost wished he had at least one pair of denims; he was feeling decidedly over-dressed.

"'kay, follow me then," Dean said with a shrug, turned on his heel and strode out of the airport. He angled his hat down as he stepped outside and made his way to the ranch's pick-up. He glanced at Castiel and chuckled when he saw the other man gape openly at the car. He knew exactly how the run-down old pick-up looked and he really wasn't offended. He took the bag from Castiel's hand and carefully placed it in the bed of the truck on his way around to the driver's side.

"Hop in then," he instructed and climbed in behind the wheel.

Castiel glared at the iron death trap and growled lowly in annoyance. He was going to give his mother an earful as soon as he could. How dare she! There was more rust than iron on this thing and he silently prayed it made it to... wherever they were going. He climbed in and looked around the interior, a little surprised it was so nice inside. He eyed the dashboard dubiously, unsure why there were finger shaped indentations in it.

"Buckle up!" Dean said cheerfully, and buckled his own seat belt. He didn't normally bother but he got the impression Castiel wouldn't appreciate his normally ambivalent attitude towards seat belts.

Castiel tried not to roll his eyes and strapped himself in. As soon as the device clicked, the vehicle took off with a squeal and he was thrown back into the seat, making a high-pitched squeaking noise as he grabbed at a nearby handle molded into the door. "Maniac!" he muttered under his breath, holding onto the molded handle in the door with a white-knuckled grip. His only response was a chuckle that made his scowl deepen.

After almost 10 minutes of nearly uncomfortable silence, Dean tried to get Castiel talking but his efforts fell flat with one word responses from the other man and he'd given up, settling for just the noise of the truck as it rattled softly and the sound of the rotating wheels. He couldn't help wondering what the guy was thinking, but he didn't want to press. It was obvious he was still adjusting to the idea of being on vacation.

Of course, he'd taken many opportunities to sneak a few glances at the dark-haired man as he drove. He was just as attractive in the sunlight as he was in the glaring fluorescent lights of the airport. He tried not to ogle too obviously, he didn't think the guy would appreciate it. The interest now on Castiel's face as he peered out the window was, hopefully, a good sign. By the time they were off the highways and making their way up the more rural roads, Castiel was back to looking pensive.

"Where are we going?" Castiel asked, looking at the surrounding woods with something akin to trepidation. He'd seen enough horror movies to know that rural woods were rarely good places to go with complete strangers (even if, or maybe especially, they were rugged and sexy).

"Just a few more minutes," Dean said instead of giving an actual answer. He ignored the glare aimed at the side of his head, turned on the radio and immediately started tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the beat. He sung softly under his breath, stoically ignoring Castiel's glare once again as he started making the turns to get them to the ranch.

"Oh shit," Castiel breathed, sounding horrified as they passed a large wooden archway. "She didn't," he groaned as they passed numerous paddocks and open fields. Horses (he stopped counting at 23) stood in groups, watching with bored expressions as the truck passed. "Oh, god. Please, take me back!" he said just as Dean put the truck in park.

Dean clucked his tongue and shook his head once, trying not to smile. "I'm 'fraid I can't do that. Your mother paid in full and made it clear she expects you to enjoy yourself." He smirked, probably enjoying Castiel's pale face and stricken expression a little too much. It was a change from the stoic, blank expression from earlier.

"_Enjoy myself_?" Castiel scoffed and glared out the window at all the... dirt. And farm animals. "She's completely insane. Fuck, she needs to be sent to a damn asylum," he muttered to himself watching a pack of deranged wild dogs burst out of a nearby barn and made their way, loudly, towards the parked truck. He cringed when one leapt up, barking, and placed its paws on the door and slobbered all over the window.

Dean tried not to laugh at Castiel. He'd been leery of dogs for years, never really being a 'dog person', and didn't blame the man for being a bit intimidated. The dogs were huge (friendly, but huge) so he could understand the guy's wariness. "Yup," he said brightly, answering the first part but silently agreeing with the second, and hopped out, slamming the door behind him. He made his way to the front of the truck and greeted the group of dogs at his feet, rubbing various body parts as the dogs all clambered for his attention.

He looked back at the dark haired man still in the truck and rolled his eyes, circling around and opening the door for him. Castiel looked like a big toddler; his bottom lip was slightly pooched out in a pout and he had his arm's crossed over his chest as he stared straight ahead.

"You can't leave. So you might as well make the best of it."

"Why can't I?" Castiel demanded hotly. He was still sitting in the truck but he had angled his body towards Dean, but only so he could glare at the man better. Who did he think he was to keep him prisoner here? If he wanted to leave, he should be able to!

Dean crossed his arms as well. "Fences," he said simply. He unfolded his arms and held a hand out to Castiel. He patiently stood there, his hand out as the dark-haired man huffed and glared. "I wouldn't try to leave on your own. They're high and there ain't nothing for miles," he informed Castiel with a wink.

Mostly, the fences were there to protect the animals but on occasion (such as this one), they came in handy to keep things _in_ as well as out.

"Fences," Castiel repeated dryly. He allowed Dean to help him from the truck, ignoring the warm hand holding his firmly as he stepped down and looked around. Ugh, what was his mother thinking? He saw the fences and his eyes widened; even from this distance, he could see they were higher than he dared to climb. And topped with razor wire. He glared when he heard Dean chuckle as the man turned on his heel and headed towards a large barn.

Dean tilted his head towards the barn, "C'mon, I'll show you around."

For over an hour, Dean led Castiel to various barns and buildings, pointing out things that Castiel supposed the other man thought he'd be interested in. "The kitchen is open all the time, but there are three meals a day in the main mess hall. The times are posted in your cabin."

"Cabin?" Castiel repeated, sounding faint and trying not to grimace.

Dean nodded. "Yup," he cheerfully replied and continued in his tour, giving Castiel a brief run-down of the daily activities planned. "And there are lessons, twice a day."

"For what?" Castiel asked slowly, already having an idea. There were horses everywhere, so...

Dean grinned. "Ridin' a horse, of course. We'll start with the basics; grooming and tack. Then lessons on riding. Evenin' lesson is a group lesson, but the mornin' lesson you've got me all to yourself." He grinned at the dark-haired man and winked when Castiel glared, surprised to see his pale cheeks tinted lightly with pink a moment later. He couldn't tell if it was from irritation or... what, but filed the response away, anyway.

"You been on a horse before?" he asked, looking at Castiel curiously. He could guess the other man had taken lessons like any proper young gentleman. It was obvious the guy came from money.

"Of course," Castiel replied, crossing his arms and lifting his chin slightly. "I took lessons for years when I was a child." He wanted to glare when Dean only nodded with a knowing expression. His expression turned into confusion when they went into the back room. Looking around, he vaguely recognized what might have been saddles. They were made of a lighter colored leather than he was used to and there was a horn type object protruding outwards from a painfully inconvenient spot.

"Western or English?" Dean asked, an amused smile back on his face. He didn't know why he bothered asking; obviously the guy was trained in English style. Probably dressage. He snorted when Castiel confirmed it in a pained tone. "Well, this is different. You'll see," he said lightly and walked back out of the tack room. As they left the barn, he pointed to various other buildings, even if Castiel didn't seem interested. "End of the tour," he said as he lead the dark-haired man towards his cabin.

"Oh, fuck this," Castiel muttered, glaring at the log cabin. Made of actual logs. How... rustic. He stared at Dean with incredulity and crossed his arms again. "I refuse these... accommodations. This is—" He broke off, unable to articulate how much he didn't want to be in a damn _cabin_ and waved a hand at the cabin. He vaguely wondered if they had some other way of communicating with the outside world in this place and made a mental note to ask since Dean hadn't included anything of the sort on his tour. He'd grovel or a pay phone at this rate...

Yes, he was going to have _quite_ the conversation with his mother. He normally wasn't such a priss, but this was just one thing too much.

Dean laughed; he couldn't help it. "Just save the dramatics until you've been inside," he smirked when Castiel sputtered indignantly. He unlocked the door and gestured the other man in ahead of him. "After you."

Castiel walked past Dean with a glare, but his expression blanked completely and his arms flopped down to his sides when he looked around the cabin. Regardless of how the exterior looked, the inside resembled a 5 star hotel suite. He sighed with relief, and a little happiness, when he took in the rooms. He ignored the small kitchenette since he didn't cook (he could barely even make a cup of coffee). His eyes roamed the furnishings with glee, noting the soft leathers, and smooth, cool silks.

"Bedroom?" he asked, eagerly.

Dean chuckled, smothering the urge to say something really inappropriate, and just pointed to a partially closed door across the room. He laughed outright when the dark-haired man hurried towards the door, not even bothering to hide his excitement.

"Oh," Castiel breathed as he opened the door. Everything was done in pale blues, cream and shades of silvery grey. The bed looked like a cloud, overflowing with pillows and soft looking blankets. He eagerly crossed the room, sighing again as he peeked into the en-suite bathroom. He jumped and spun around when Dean spoke from directly behind him; somehow, he'd actually forgotten about the other man.

"I assume the accommodations are acceptable?" Dean asked, trying not to laugh at Castiel's stunned expression. He hadn't meant to surprise the other man, he hadn't even snuck in. He'd never seen someone so excited by a pillow-top memory foam bed before.

"Yes," Castiel said somberly and lifted his chin slightly in an effort to hide his embarrassment. "Acceptable. Thank you," he mumbled quietly.

Dean grinned, tilting his hat and winking. "Welcome. Well—" He checked his watch and clapped his hands together. "Settle in and enjoy. Dinner's in an hour."

Castiel nodded blankly, his mind already set on luxuriating in a hot bath. "Right, an hour."

Dean snorted softly, noting the far-away look in those blue eyes and turned and left. He vaguely wondered if Castiel remembered where the dining hall was but shrugged as he left the key on the entry way table. "Key's by the door," he hollered, not even waiting for a response as he closed and locked the door. He sauntered off, whistling.

...

By the third day, Castiel was cursing his mother again.

He had to buy a new wardrobe that he'd probably never wear again. Of course, the jeans and assorted t-shirts he'd ended up buying were more comfortable to wear than anything he had packed. And if he noticed the appreciative glances he got from a certain cowboy, well... it almost made the expense worth it. (And almost had him re-thinking demanding repayment from his mother.)

But the worst part; he took care of the horse he rode.

Himself.

He was finally getting used to the process, grudgingly finding it rather relaxing and almost as soothing as the horse seemed to find it. He'd been mortified the first time he found himself talking to the beast as he worked the curry brush over the shiny hair and felt his cheeks heat up as he'd looked around to make sure he hadn't been heard. Thankfully, Dean had been on the other side of the building and didn't seem to have heard.

Castiel didn't stop himself from talking to the horse again, but did keep his voice soft and quiet after that.

Also, his body ached in the worst spots imaginable after the first few riding lessons. He never thought himself 'out of shape' before. His ass felt used and sore, and not in the pleasant way he'd prefer. Muscles that he didn't even know he'd had ached. The only saving grace was the large soaking bathtub and the foam mattress in his cabin. He'd sighed with nearly orgasmic bliss when he sunk down and the mattress seemed to mold around his body like a firm cloud.

He spent way too much time with Dean Winchester, as well. The man was a natural on a horse and usually left Castiel feeling clumsy and awkward in a way he'd never experienced before. He kind of hated it. He was generally the picture of poise and grace. He consoled himself with the knowledge that on the ground—on two legs—he was still graceful. It would have been better if Dean could at least be a bumbling idiot on his own feet—even if it would be an infuriatingly attractive way—but he couldn't be that lucky.

It was also rather annoying that the man frequently brought Castiel out of his lustful staring (or that regrettable time he'd been completely distracted by the sprinkling of freckles across the man's cheeks and nose, his eyes roaming as his brain tried to count them) with a smirk and a chuckle.

Honestly, how was Castiel supposed to concentrate with Dean riding around looking like sex on a horse? It was unfair and impossible, really.

He nearly sabotaged his first lesson. Dean had helped him on his horse, making Castiel forcefully suppress a shiver as the man's hands circled his waist. It was a shock to him that the other man would be so strong, but it was true and hit him right in the gut, making the sizzling heat pool low in his belly. After he was helped onto his horse, Dean had walked beside the horse, holding onto his knee, correcting his form and posture every so often. He wasn't able to play dumb long since he had (like a fool) told Dean he had riding experience. Posture and form wasn't that different between the two styles, though this one being rather more relaxed than what he was used to, he really only had to not slouch (which a Novak didn't do) and keep his heels down.

He both hated and looked forward to the twice daily lessons. In the evening, he annoyed himself by wishing the other people in his group would just fuck off so he could be alone with Dean as they took their group trail ride. In his one-on-one lesson, he annoyed himself by wishing he wasn't alone with the other man because his thoughts always wandered to dangerous places. He usually spent half of his lessons imagining Dean completely naked or riding _him_. It generally left his body in such a state, Castiel was close to risking trying his luck with those fences...

He ended up sore from the ride and frustrated beyond belief from watching Dean and spending time with the man.

It was such a bittersweet experience and he didn't know how he'd survive another 18 days.

...

Dean grinned as he walked into the barn, easily spotting Castiel's back, behind and messy dark hair in the isle. He stopped, leaned against the doorway and just watched the other man as he rubbed the chestnut gelding down with easy grace and finally looking comfortable in the task.

He'd been pleasantly surprised to see how easily Castiel took to taking care of 'his' horse; it was part of how he did things and it really helped people get more comfortable around the horses and more confident in themselves and helped with their lessons. After he assumed the other man's snarky attitude came from him not knowing what to do (Castiel had admitted to him that he had _people_ to do such things growing up and never attempted it before) and he showed him how to do everything, Castiel fell into the task like a natural. He was glad he wasn't the only one that found the time with the animals and repetitive actions soothing.

His gaze focused on the jean clad ass for a long moment, feeling free to look since no one else was around. He absently wondered why the dark-haired man hadn't deigned to wear such casual clothing before. He looked spectacular in everything he'd managed to buy this past week (and it was almost unfair).

"And that, dear Pickles, is why you should thank your equine stars you aren't a human," Castiel murmured to the horse, running a brush through the horse's mane. He jumped slightly when Pickles nickered softly in greeting to someone behind him. He turned and hid a smile when he saw Dean sauntering over towards him. He hadn't heard the man enter the barn and the thought that Dean had probably been standing there watching him made him flush warmly.

He plastered a scowl onto his face before turning back to brushing out Pickle's mane. "Didn't your mother teach you it was rude to sneak up on people?"

Dean's smile wavered, and was pained at the edges but he did chuckle a bit, surprised. "No, she died before I would have needed such lessons," he said in a quiet voice. "My uncle never bothered." He made air quotes around uncle, only because Bobby wasn't related by blood. But it didn't keep the older man from taking on the role of father (and occasionally mother, even if it embarrassed the hell out of all of them whenever it happened).

Castiel's hand stopped and he slowly turned towards Dean, his expression wary and contrite. "I— I'm sorry. I didn't know..." He didn't know if he should also add how sorry he was for Dean's loss but kept his mouth closed in case his foot wound up in it again. He felt like a complete bastard and Dean's soft chuckle didn't lessen that feeling one bit.

"It's alright, I know you didn't mean anything by it," Dean said softly. "I'm not surprised you didn't know, though. Around here, people seem to know my life story better than I do," he said, shaking his head a little and snickering under his breath. It seemed nearly everyone knew the name Winchester, regardless of their opinions on it, and the soap-opera that was his life story.

He focused his gaze on Castiel's butt again as the other man went back to rubbing down his horse, his body swaying slightly with the effort. "I don't really remember my mom and my dad hadn't been a round much before he passed away a few years ago." He watched as Castiel nodded, showing he was listening. "Sammy comes around occasionally, but he's happy enough being a big-shot lawyer." He smiled, as he usually did, thinking of his brother. He resembled a partially shaved Big Foot but no one seemed to be bothered by it, especially his fiancée, Jess.

The corner of Castiel's mouth quirked as he tried to suppress a smile. It had only been recently that Dean talked about things other than reins, saddle maintenance or horse behavior during their lessons and he found himself listening intently. He snuck a peek over his shoulder and noticed the far-off look on Dean's face and the tiny, but warm, smile on the other man's face as he thought about his brother. It wasn't hard to figure out there was a close bond there.

"Ah, well, I apparently do not know enough about you," he said, turning back to brushing Pickles in an attempt to hide his face. He could feel the warmth in his face because when Dean looked at him, the smile didn't dim at all. Nope, it grew and those damned green eyes practically sparkled at him.

Dean grinned. "S'okay," he said casually, shrugging a shoulder. "Not many people do, at least the important stuff." He was used to people asking and he usually evaded personal questions. So he didn't know why he was offering such information to Castiel. The guy looked interested, and it was obvious he'd been listening intently even if he wasn't looking at him, and it left him feeling oddly warm and fidgety.

He shook his head a little and stroked a hand down Pickles' neck, patting the muscled shoulder fondly. "Nearly ready there, Cas?" he asked after another long moment of silence. He'd been looking forward to his solitary lesson with Castiel all morning and he wasn't sure why. Most of the time the dark-haired man complained like a spoiled child or completely spaced out instead of listening to his instructions.

He also didn't get the best jokes he told, the guy's blue eyes squinting as he cocked his head in confusion. Did the dude never watch a decent movie or TV in the last 15 years? It was almost sad and he mentally compiled a list of must-see movies and making Cas watch them.

But still, it had quickly become his favorite time of day. "I think we'll try a nice easy canter today."

Castiel shrugged carefully, not commenting on the nickname earlier. He'd never had someone call him anything but Castiel before and... well, he kind of liked it. It really suited Dean, as well. Anyone else, he'd think it was just a lazy thing, unwilling (or unable) to say his whole name. It almost seemed affectionate coming from Dean and he had to shake off the urge to do something embarrassingly inappropriate.

He walked over to the saddle stand, lifting the saddle onto Pickles' back and strapping it on with careful movements. He checked the buckles and sighed, smoothing a hand down Pickle's flank. He didn't say anything when Dean silently handed him the bridle and reins. He eased the bit into Pickles' mouth with practiced moves and bit back another sigh when he realized there was nothing else left to do; no other way to dawdle. "Ready."

Dean lead them out towards the area he left his horse, smiling when the two horses nickered at each other. "Impala seems to be the only horse Pickles doesn't want to take a chunk out of," he said, turning to Castiel with a grin as they entered the fenced area. Most times during the evening class trail rides he had to stay close to Pickles and Castiel (not that he minded one bit) to keep the duo out of trouble since Castiel was quick to mouth off when people complained about his horse's behavior.

He gave Impala's black and white spotted neck an affectionate pet before turning to Castiel. "Leg up?" he asked, squinting into the morning sun as he looked up.

"Alright," Castiel said offhandedly, trying to ignore the annoying way his heartbeat sped up at the thought. It was ridiculous, really; the contact was so brief and he barely felt it but it thrilled him none the less. He really could avoid the whole thing by using the cut log at the side of the gate, placed there for just this purpose, but he never bothered and he wondered why Dean never pointed it out. He held his breath as Dean bent slightly, his fingers laced together, and lifted his foot.

As soon as he was in the saddle, like every morning, Dean patted his calf twice and moseyed over to his own horse. He watched the other man slide his foot into the stirrup at a height that should have looked awkward and easily hopped up without any aide. Castiel watched the fluid move with equal parts envy and desire, his eyes practically glued to the well muscled thighs and ass of the other man as he lifted and settled himself. He shifted in the saddle and willed himself to calm down; it was awkward enough in the damn thing normally, he didn't look forward to the new pain of riding with a semi.

Dean clicked out of the corner of his mouth and Castiel started when both horses immediately got into motion, Pickles moving in behind Impala without him even twitching the reins held loosely in his hands. Dean turned to Castiel, "The canter is pretty fast paced... You ready?"

Castiel gulped, unsure and wondering how to phrase such a thing without sounding like he was wimping out or outright refusing the lesson Dean had in mind. "Warm up first?" he asked instead, gripping the reins in his hand tightly. At Pickles' annoyed ear flick, he loosened them and patted the horse in apology. Christ, what was wrong with him to make him nervous about a stupid riding lesson?

"Alright," Dean said slowly, looking at Castiel for a moment, curious. "It's not a big deal, Pickles is very surefooted," he said cautiously, not wanting to irk the dark-haired man. He was well aware how prickly Castiel could be on occasion when he felt slighted or off balanced. "He won't go too fast."

Castiel nearly scoffed and said something rude but he closed his eyes briefly and managed a small smile. "I'm still getting used to being up in this—" He waved a hand at the saddle. "I feel like I'm going to smash my balls," he muttered, leaning in towards Dean as if it were some important secret the horses shouldn't overhear.

Dean leaned back and laughed, thoroughly amused. "I can understand that. That's why you don't just flop around, you've got to move a bit with the horse, yanno?" He grinned and winked. "No smashed balls, I promise." As much as he wanted to, he didn't offer to help ice said smashed parts should it happen. That would probably be inappropriate. Or awkward... Or... something.

"Alright," Castiel said tightly, looking away so Dean couldn't see the blush on his face he could feel. Why did the man have to have such a nice laugh? Or _wink_ at him like that? _Fuck_.

"We'll ease into it," Dean said, confused and a little annoyed when Castiel looked away. He clicked his tongue again and watched as Pickles picked up into an easy trot right alongside Impala. "Good," he said, noting how Castiel moved fluidly with Pickles. He cleared his throat and angled Impala into the middle before telling Castiel to encourage Pickles into a canter. He relaxed in the saddle and just watched as Castiel got more comfortable with the increasing pace. By the time Pickles was moving in a fast canter, Castiel was actually smiling and miming waving a hat above his head.

He didn't really keep track of how long they worked together so he jumped a bit when his watch beeped. "Time's up," he called out.

"Oh," Castiel huffed a little, slightly out of breath from his lesson. He eased Pickles to a walk, at once grateful for the reprieve from bouncing around and completely bummed out the lesson was over. He hadn't realized they'd been at it for an hour. "That went fast."

"I know," Dean said, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He smiled and slid off his horse, opening the gate a moment later. "You alright rubbing him down?" he asked as Castiel passed, still on Pickles. He was curious, but didn't ask why he hadn't dismounted. Usually they had time enough they both walked back to the barn, both of them leading their horses as they walked side-by-side.

"Yes, I can handle it," Castiel replied, keeping his focus on Pickle's rotating ears until Dean's back was to him. He sighed quietly and not for the first time wondered if Dean noticed him as anything other than a student. He didn't look away quick enough and fought a blush when Dean caught him staring.

...

Dean paused mid-way through talking with Jo when he saw Castiel warily enter the Dining Hall. He watched as the dark-haired man looked around the room, a subtle air of uncertainty about him. He'd never seen Castiel in the Dining Hall before since the other guy usually ate in his cabin. He waved and sat up a bit when blue eyes focused him. He smiled when Castiel's shoulders relaxed, then squared, and he started walking towards him.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said when Castiel was close enough.

"Good evening," Castiel said quietly, shuffling his feet a little in discomfort. He lifted his chin a bit when Dean only sat there grinning at him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets so he wouldn't get the urge to wring them. He mentally cursed and berated himself for coming and started a little when a chair was pushed out towards him.

"Have a seat," Dean said, feeling a bit embarrassed he hadn't said it sooner. He'd needed the moment to wrestle some control over himself and nearly missed Cas' clearly uncomfortable state. He grinned when Castiel gracefully folded himself into the plastic chair across from him. "Jo, this is Castiel Novak." He pushed a plate towards Castiel and watched as he filled it with neat little piles of food. He really was not surprised to see everything separated, nothing touching.

"Pleased to meetcha," Jo chirped, waving cheerfully at the reserved man across from her. She tucked a chunk of golden blonde hair behind her ear as she smiled and winked at him, giggling softly when his (dreamy blue) eyes widened and darted to Dean. "I take it your Dean's?" she asked, purposely phrasing it that way and watching Castiel's reaction. When his cheeks pinked slightly and he coughed awkwardly into a fist, she grinned.

"Yes," Castiel said, hating that he sounded a bit breathy. "That is, I'm in Dean's _group_," he clarified, feeling warm and slightly out of breath at the very notion of being Dean's. Christ, get a grip, he chided himself. The woman hadn't meant it like _that_. Of course, if he hadn't been so out of sorts he would have seen she had indeed meant it like that.

Dean chuckled and nodded, bumping Jo's shoulder with his own. "Play nice," he said lowly before his attention was on Castiel again. He didn't know if he should comment about the oddness of seeing Castiel dining with the others or not. He didn't really want to risk the dark-haired man slinking back to his cabin to continue his solitary eating habits. He didn't know if Cas was just snobby or shy... He was leaning towards shy (or, more accurately, having shitty people skills).

"Yup, twice a day. Cas is one of our long timers," he said instead, speaking to Jo.

"Oh," Jo sighed. She looked Castiel over and found herself unsurprised he would be able to afford a 3 week stay. It was a bit odd he was alone, but it was probably for the best as she noticed the way Dean glanced at him (but only when he thought no one was looking). She'd probably be annoyed if Castiel didn't do the same when he thought Dean wasn't looking. She giggled softly to herself and shook her head. Figures...

"So, do you like it so far?" she asked Castiel, pulling apart a biscuit and smearing a slab of butter on it before drizzling it with a big squirt of honey.

Castiel swallowed his bite and nodded, "Yes. I'm rather surprised but I do find it rather enjoyable after being forced to endure." He lifted his chin a little and ignored Dean's amused snort, keeping his focus on Jo so he wouldn't stare as Dean started licking his fingers off. Jesus; what sort of manners did the man lack to just sit there and _lick_ his fingers like that? He'd probably say something if it weren't so... distracting. He subtly pulled his napkin into his lap.

Jo laughed. "My, don't you just have a way with words." She took a large bite of her biscuit, brushing crumbs off her shirt and nearly choked on the laugh that wanted to come out when Castiel gave her a slightly distasteful glance, his eyes all squinty and his lips flattened slightly. She swallowed, aiding the process with numerous gulps of sweet tea and grinned. "Sorry, my momma would just die if she saw me right now," she said, giggling quietly before growing serious. "I apologize for my deplorable habits, Mister Novak."

Castiel fidgeted, feeling awkward and out of place for a moment. The feeling intensified when Dean gave him an amused glance and he forced himself to look at Jo, offering a small smile. "Yes, well, not a problem, I suppose," he muttered and peeled the breading off a piece of fried chicken. "I didn't mean to..." He huffed and let his hands flop in his lap as he lowered his head a bit.

He didn't know how to act here and it was rather frustrating. Even though she apologized, and didn't sound at all sarcastic, he got the feeling Jo thought he was the one out of line. He glanced at Dean and swallowed thickly when he saw the other man happily eating his chicken with his fingers, little happy moans and noises coming out of him at regular intervals.

"Ugh," he muttered to himself and sunk down a little in his chair.

"Aw, honey, it's fine," Jo said and patted the spot in front of Castiel since he had his hands in his lap. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." She really could only imagine the horrors she was putting the guy through. He probably had never used his fingers when eating before and she was sitting there stuffing her face like a heifer in front of him without a second thought. No wonder the poor man looked ready to bolt.

"No, it's not that," Castiel hurried to explain, annoyed he took the smile from the young woman's face. The corners of her mouth were down a bit in a small frown and it didn't look at all appropriate on her. "I'm still... adjusting," he said and push some green thing around on his plate. He'd tried quite a bit of the food in the comforts of his cabin and he found most of it quite good. He barely kept himself from jumping when Dean leaned across the table and placed a hand on his shoulder. It took all of his self control to keep himself from leaning into the touch. Or running away and drowning himself in the coldest water possible.

"So far, so good," Dean offered and grinned, patting Cas' shoulder before withdrawing his hand. Yup; definitely the shitty people skills thing.

Castiel cleared his throat and blindly reached for the nearest glass, taking a small sip of the sweetened iced tea and nearly choked on it. "What the—?" he sputtered and quickly took larger sips, draining the glass. He felt his cheeks warm when he noticed he had Jo and Dean's full attention. "Sorry," he murmured and wiped his mouth. He'd never bothered to try the tea before, unsure about the idea of drinking something so sweet. He could admit, only to himself, at how wrong he was.

"S'alright," Jo answered first, covering a huge grin with her hand. "Haven't tried the sweet tea before, I take it?" She giggled when Castiel slowly shook his head and poured himself another glass. "Don't feel bad. It took Dean ages to try it, too."

Dean scoffed, rolling his eyes. He turned to Jo and they settled into the familiar argument over the finer qualities of proper sweet tea.

Castiel watched the two interact as he slowly sipped from his second glass. His eyes narrowed each time they touched and he found himself wondering at their relationship. Jo would coo, bat her eyelashes, touch and fondle Dean and the other man just sat there and smiled at her. Castiel noticed the most intimate contact Dean initiated was the pat to the young woman's head, the move almost condescending but affectionate at the same time. Jealousy squirmed through him and he tried to tell himself there wasn't anything to be jealous _about_, but he was annoyed to find himself losing the internal argument.

He blinked a few times when he realized Dean had been asking him something. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked you what made you decide to eat here," Dean asked, smiling a little. He'd gotten used to the way Castiel would drift off and it was oddly comforting to have it happen outside of lessons.

"Oh," Castiel said and hunched his shoulders a bit in embarrassment. He wanted to curse himself (and Dean for causing it) for the move. He'd been nearly compelled to seek out Dean. He wasn't about to invite the man over to his cabin for a meal; just the thought of it made him nearly swoon with panic and pleasure. So, he was forced to option B; which had him sitting in the public Dining Hall with Dean and a gorgeous blonde that clearly had a close relationship with Dean. It wasn't nearly as great an idea now that he was here...

What he said instead was; "I wanted to see what it looked like in here." He made a point of looking around, as if taking in his surroundings. It didn't ring true even to his own ears. "I didn't really pay attention during the tour," he added lamely.

"Ah, and do you like?" Jo asked, one golden eyebrow raised. It was easy to tell Castiel was lying but she didn't want to call him out on it since he looked so embarrassed about it. Poor guy. His eyes darted to Dean and she wanted to hug him.

Castiel nodded, his eyes flitting to Dean for a moment. "Yes, sure. It's very... nice."

"Same kitchens," Dean noted, smiling when Castiel looked over at him. "So, you know, you don't have to worry about the food being different." He very nearly groaned and slapped himself for the inane comment. Stupid must be catchin'... Cas' lame explanation had to be poisoning the parts of his brain that let him be smooth and smile charmingly.

Jo giggled and nodded. "True enough!" she chirped and pushed her plate away before pulling a bowl of peach cobbler towards her. "Only difference is the company," she said and winked.

"Yeah," Dean mused, glancing briefly at Castiel. He noticed the dark-haired man had zoned out again and he pursed his lips in thought. Just where did that mind go all the time? He leaned towards Jo and pulled her closer, a hand around her upper arm. "I think I was wrong about Cas," he whispered in her ear, trying not to sound as devastated as he felt. It shouldn't be a big deal, but he still felt completely bummed out.

He had been talking to Jo about the attraction he felt for the other man and had planned on working in some less-than-subtle hints during his morning lesson with Cas. Jo told him he should pin the sexy brunette against the barn, shove a hand own his jeans and kiss his face off. He really didn't see that working out... And now that he had a chance to speak with Cas outside of lessons, the other guy looked just as disinterested and uncomfortable. He immediately nixed any further thoughts of flirting. He didn't want to be embarrassed. Or punched in the jaw.

Jo tried not to glare, smack Dean upside the head or roll her eyes. Men; they were so clueless at times. It was obvious to her Castiel was interested, even if he kept drifting off and looking like he was sitting on a cactus. It didn't take a genius to figure out _why_, either.

"Oh pffft," she said quietly and waved a hand at Dean. She leaned down and whispered, "He's just _day dreamin'_. Probably about your fine, sculpted ass in nothing but that hat." She gave a devious chuckle as she flicked the brim of said hat with a pink fingernail. She shrugged when Dean gaped at her. "What? Ain't nothin' wrong with that. That would be the opposite of bad, dummy."

"No, I mean— Jo!" Dean hissed, scandalized and feeling like a damn prude when his voice was nearly a whine. Ugh; you aren't supposed to know these sort of thoughts go through your friend's mind. "You haven't!" he half asked, half demanded, his voice low. He still felt a bit bad he couldn't return Jo's more-than-friendly feelings for him but that had been years ago and he thought it was old history. Jo wasn't really his type... and he feared her mother like no other woman on earth.

He wasn't sure how to take her last words. He really didn't want her picturing him naked...

"So?" Jo said with a giggle. "Don't worry about it. It was ages ago," she huffed, rolling her eyes and waved him off. She was totally allowed her fantasies (because damn he was a fine hunk of man-meat, and she was only human) but she was very aware that's all they'd be. "And besides, I didn't say _I_ was thinking that. I said _he_ probably was," she clarified with a smirk, eyes darting across the table to a still-daydreaming Castiel. She snickered again and returned her attention to Castiel, blinking with surprise when he turned his head and glared at her, his blue eyes narrowed. And a little menacing instead of that adorable squinty thing.

Oh, she knew that look all right.

She leaned back from where she'd been pressed against Dean, no longer needing to whisper. "Right?" she asked, raising her voice and looking at the irate dark-haired man.

"Hmm?" Castiel hummed, his glare thawing in his confusion. He hadn't realized either of them had been speaking to him when he had drifted off. Again. He really had to get a grip on himself and stop doing that... Especially if his lack of attention made Dean think he could canoodle with Jo right in front of him.

Dean looked back to Cas, confused and annoyed when the other man refused to look at him. He only felt a little relieved he hadn't made a fool of himself by outright flirting with him yet. He nearly groaned in defeat. He barely registered Jo's response to the dark-haired man, only grateful she didn't share what she had _actually_ said and hastily excused himself.

"I've got... some... things... to finish. Night Jo," he mumbled and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. "Cas," he said and waved briefly at the other guy before turning and hurrying from the Dining Hall.

"What...?" Castiel muttered, shocked by the sudden departure. He blinked and glared at Jo, sure she was the reason for it. Dean seemed fine before they started whispering like a pair of schoolgirls. He scowled lightly, annoyed.

Jo shrugged and spooned a large bite of cobbler into her mouth. She could only guess as to why Dean practically ran out of here but she wasn't going to say anything. One of the many things she had learned in the years knowing him; Dean Winchester was a private person and didn't appreciate being spoken about. She wasn't normally a gossip, anyway, and never liked speaking about people behind their back. It was probably one of the reasons her friendship with Dean had only gotten stronger.

Well... that and he didn't try to get in her pants. Once that stopped annoying the shit out of her, it just made everything else easier.

"You done?" she asked, nodding to Castiel's mostly empty plate. When Castiel glanced down and nodded with a blank look, she hummed and licked her spoon. "He's probably in the south barn," she said airily before spooning some ice cream into the gooey, peachy mess in her bowl. She refused to tell Castiel to go join Dean outright; besides, if the guy couldn't figure it out on his own, he probably didn't like Dean _that way_. "Though, _I'd_ stay for cobbler. It's a_maz_in'."

"Oh!" Castiel said and jerked out of his chair, realization dawning. He glanced down at Jo and nearly asked her why she had helped him but he just nodded his thanks and hurried out of the Dining Hall, quickly finding his way to the south barn. He released a breath he hadn't been aware of holding when he saw a light on and heard Dean's soft voice as he stepped closer. He couldn't make out what was being said but he smiled when he realized Dean shared his habit of talking to the horses.

"...years ago. I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but..." Dean trailed off and shuddered a bit. He liked Jo, he did, and if she were his type he'd happily have let their relationship go past friendship. But she wasn't; in so many way. "Just, ugh. No..." he chuckled softly and worked a soft brush along Impala's neck. However, if Jo had been right that Castiel had such thoughts... Well, he'd be alright with that, he mused with a pleasant shiver.

He slowly stood up, fighting the urge to whirl around quickly and risk spooking Impala, when he heard footsteps behind him. He narrowed his eyes and felt his heart rate pick up when he saw Castiel slowly approach from the corner of his eye. He sent a playful glare towards Impala and muttered "A warning woulda been nice."

Impala blew a lungful of air out of his nose and tossed his head as he stomped a hoof on the ground. Dean was pretty sure he was being laughed at. Fucking horse...

"Hello," Castiel said, feeling like an idiot. He raised a hand briefly in a short wave and shuffled closer. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..."

Dean smiled, finally feeling his heart rate settle a little only to have it pick back up again when Cas gave him a small, awkward smile. He tried to tell himself it was only the result of the shocked surprise... Especially when his heart-rate went just as erratic as his eyes roamed Cas while he leaned against the barn door. His ankles and arms causally crossed.

"No problem. Just giving Impala some TLC," he said and turned back to the horse in question, continuing his brushing of the spotted horse. He knew Impala enjoyed the work, but he still felt he needed to spoil the beast a bit for working so many hours every day.

Castiel just watched from his spot by the door. His eyes eagerly following each and every move Dean made. He lost count how many times he had to subtly shift himself in his jeans as he watched Dean shift and move. He found himself particularly enjoying the way the other man's back and ass moved; the way the muscles bunched and flexed fluidly under the fabric. He briefly drifted off, wondering how those muscles would feel, moving and twitching under his hands.

He came back to reality and jumped a little when Dean pinned him with those green eyes. "Hmm?" he hummed in question, belatedly realizing he was being spoken to. He _really_ had to stop drifting off... Dean probably thought he was a complete space-case.

"Nothing," Dean said and smiled. He had felt Castiel's eyes on him the entire time and wondered how often the other man had gone off into La-La Land while watching him. He'd probably blush if he knew the answer; he had been the cause and focus of each and every trip. Since day one.

"Dean, can I ask you something... personal?" Castiel finally muttered after another few minutes of quiet. He briefly averted his eyes when Dean bent over, a hand trailing gently along Impala's leg, and he paid some attention to the horse's feet. His eyes snapped back to study the bent over ass once he was sure he wouldn't be caught looking. His fingers twitched with the subconscious urge to cop a feel. He'd probably have to squeeze really hard, because that was taut fabric and some muscled flesh...

"Sure," Dean said absently, working mud from Impala's hooves. He wrinkled his nose as the clumps fell to the barn floor. He turned and glanced up at Castiel, nearly dropping Impala's foot when he saw the intense look on the brunette's face. It made things heat and tingle when he took in the darkened blue eyes.

He cleared his throat, "What's on your mind?" he finally asked when Castiel hadn't said anything for several moments. He went back to cleaning Impala's hoof, hoping Cas would find his voice if he wasn't staring at him. He was more than a little curious to know what was on the other man's mind.

Castiel took a deep breath and shuffled a few steps into the barn. He was at once glad and pissed Dean's attention was elsewhere. Honestly; he probably wouldn't have the nerve to ask if the man had been giving him his full attention. "Are you and Jo together?" he finally asked. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to know, but it was a good first step. Or so he told himself.

"Not at all," Dean said easily and chuckled, easing Impala's foot back to the ground and straightened, giving Castiel his full attention. His brows drew together when he saw the brunette fidget slightly. "We're just friends," he clarified when Cas only continued to stare at him, as if he didn't believe what he'd heard.

"Oh," Castiel said, relief making him a bit light headed. A small smile tugged at his lips. "So, she's not your... type?" he asked, picking at his nails.

Dean laughed, a deep rich sound that had Castiel staring at him, wide-eyed. "Nope," he said slowly, popping the 'p'. "I _do_ like blondes, but I'm partial to brunettes," he said, his eyes flicking up to Cas' dark, messy hair. With short, just fucked hair, he added silently to himself.

Castiel blinked, unsure how to take Dean's words. Did he—? Was he—? "What?" he finally asked, feeling lost but flushed. He did notice the way Dean had shifted closer and was looking at him with his head slightly cocked.

"I said, she's not my type. I do like blondes, but brunettes are more my thing." Dean dropped the hooked tool he was holding into the nearby tool caddy before he stepped closer towards Castiel. He resisted the urge to bite his lower lip, unsure if he should continue. He watched as Cas' eyes widened, his pale cheeks pinked delicately and the pupils dilated. _Oh_. He smiled and stepped even closer, almost close enough to feel the heat of the brunette's body against his own.

How blunt should he be? Well, he was normally a 'jump right in' sorta guy, so... "I'm gay, Cas," he murmured, his attention on Castiel as he watched the other man's reaction.

Castiel couldn't stop the smile if his life had depended on it. He looked down and flicked a shy glance at Dean from under his lashes, meeting green eyes briefly. He nearly lost his breath at the heated look in those darkened green eyes. "Oh," he said lamely and closed his eyes in embarrassment. Another peek up show amusement on Dean's face. Before the other man could step away, or misinterpret his lame response, he forced himself to continue speaking. "Oh, well. I mean, well, me too, but I just..." he trailed off and bit his lip, unsure what to say or do. It was kind of irritating...

"Cas," Dean said softly and smiled when Cas finally met his eyes. "Where do you go all the time?"

Castiel blinked, completely confused. "Go?" he asked, his brows drawn together in confusion. He hadn't left the damn place since he got there. He wasn't stupid enough to try the fences and he quickly lost the desire to leave.

"Yeah," Dean said and stepped even closer, their bodies almost brushing together each time one of them breathed. He slowly lifted a hand and brushed some of the messy, dark strands back from Cas' temple and pointed to it gently with his index finger. "Up here. You wander off pretty often..." He watched with fascination when Cas' pale cheeks pinked and his eyes darted away again.

Castiel was not going to tell Dean where he went. No. He'd rather... He'd rather... clean the horses' stalls with a plastic spoon from the Dining Hall than do _that_. He looked away, striving for casual and failing miserably.

"Nowhere..." he muttered and bit the inside of his cheek. He wanted to be so annoyed that Dean could make him so awkward and unsure; he never before had met a single person that threw him off balance so consistently. He could almost hate Dean for making him feel so awkward. He barely suppressed an embarrassing noise when he felt Dean's lower body brush his; it was a warm, tingly feeling he'd never felt before with such a light touch.

"Nowhere huh?" Dean murmured, watching the pink cheeks get darker and he slowly ran a finger across the heated skin. He smiled when Cas' lips parted slightly, his breathing getting faster. "You just want to be anywhere else than with me, is that it?"

Castiel's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No! No, that's not what I meant at all," he said emphatically. He huffed when Dean just smiled again, looking a little smug and amused. "Bastard," he grumbled and looked away.

"Well, Jo has a theory—" Dean said lightly and leaned back a little to let his eyes trail over Cas' lithe torso. When Cas nodded, obviously interested in what Jo had to say, he leaned forward again and smirked. "She thinks you wander off to imagine little ol' me. Maybe with nothin' on but my hat."

Castiel's breathing picked up and his eyes nearly glazed over. "No, you have boots on too," he said without thinking. He'd probably wonder later how Jo could have possibly known. Right now he was mortified he had said such a thing aloud. It took every ounce of his willpower to keep himself from clapping a hand over his mouth or just turning around and running away. It's not like he had never been vocal about sexual fantasies or wants before; on the contrary, he liked sharing, especially if it made those fantasies a reality. But he had never entertained such... embarrassing things before. Or been looked at like Dean was currently doing.

"Oh," Dean said dumbly, lost for words. Well, that was interesting. Warmth tingled through him and pooled in his belly. "So, nothin' but my hat and my boots on," he clarified and licked his lips when Cas nodded. Well, it was the barest twitching of his head but Dean was taking it as a nod. "Is that always where you go?" he asked and slowly hooked a finger through one of the belt loops on Cas' jeans, ready to let go at the slightest indication from the other man. Cas only shifted closer.

"No," Castiel whispered and licked his own suddenly dry lips. Oh, Jesus, was he really going to admit it? He carefully looked at Dean and mentally nodded; the other man did not look at all opposed to the idea and it was very possible he was interested. He refused to behave like a blushing virgin or some simpering school girl with her first crush. "But along the same theme," he managed and smirked, feeling very smug and pleased with himself when Dean's eyes dilated and the man leaned closer.

"Sorry," he blurted, realizing how rude he had been, even if unintentionally. He could only imagine how frustrating it had to have been for Dean to try teaching someone that constantly day dreamed. He'd been there himself and it was enough to make you want to bash your head against a wall.

Dean blinked and leaned back a little. "Sorry? What for?"

"Not paying attention when I should be... but it's rather difficult at times," Castiel admitted. He nearly purred when Dean's hands rested lightly on his hips and he stepped closer again. He briefly wondered if the man was even aware of his movements. He let his legs shift when he felt Dean's knee slot between his. "So, can I assume you... like me?"

"Like you?" Dean chuckled and resisted the urge to rub noses with the adorably sexy brunette; he'd probably find that annoying. "I suppose you could put it that way," he finally decided, rolling his eyes a bit and feeling like he was back in high school for a moment. "I don't—" he started but shook his head and stopped, unsure how to continue. He didn't know what to do now.

"What?" Castiel asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Dean sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "I don't know what to do now," he finally muttered.

Castiel smirked and leaned closer, pressing himself tightly against Dean's body. "Really," he said dryly, making it not quite a question.

"Yeah," Dean said and took a deep breath, annoyance and desire mixing in a strange combination. "I mean, I _know_ what to do but..." He leveled a glare at Cas when the bastard wiggled against him with slow, sensual movements of his hips and shoulders. He hated that he was hesitating, but he didn't want to start something that was bound to end so soon. It just seemed stupid, but it also seemed stupid to deny himself (and Cas) something for such a stupid reason. He didn't know when he turned into such a girl.

"Are you not allowed to get involved?" Castiel suddenly asked, a slightly horrified look on his face. As much as he wanted to slide his palms up Dean's naked, warm skin, he didn't want to get the man in trouble or have him lose his job over a fuck. He stilled his movements with an effort; it was quite an effort since he felt a fantastic hardness growing against his thigh. He just barely held back a groan.

Dean blinked and chuckled. "It's not that. And for the record, there are no such rules or regulations," he added with an amused smile. He didn't want to voice his objections, though. He really didn't enjoy the thought of going further with someone that would be gone and in less than two weeks. Ugh; he never really cared about such a thing before but then again, he hadn't met Cas before.

"So, what's the problem?" Castiel asked, one dark eyebrow raised in question. He continued his movements when Dean didn't say anything for a few moments. Now that he knew the other man was just as attracted to him, his usual demeanor was back in full force. He wrapped his arms around Dean and pulled him flush against his own body, his hands cupping the firm denim clad ass. "Jesus, this ass..." he groaned and looked down a bit, his eyes intent on Dean's mouth. Those lips have practically haunted his dreams (day and night) and he figured why wait? He inched closer, hoping Dean would close the distance.

Dean's resolve broke the second Cas' hands kneaded his ass and he eagerly closed the gap between their mouths and kissed him. He nearly groaned at the feel. He wasn't inexperienced but he'd never felt such heat from a simple kiss before. He fisted his hands in the front of Cas' shirt, not at all caring that he was wrinkling the fine material. He smirked against Cas' lips when he heard a soft, but definitely pleased, moan from the other man and allowed the brunette to lick his way into his mouth.

Castiel groaned again, taking his time to savor Dean's unique taste and heat. He'd never been so turned on from a single kiss before. He jerked his head back as the thought hit him. "Oh shit," he panted, his eyes drawn to Dean's slightly swollen lips. There was no way he could be satisfied with just a kiss.

"What?" Dean asked, his voice a little hoarse and slightly dazed. He'd just let his hands slide across Cas' back and had untucked the brunette's shirt, intent on slipping his hands under the fabric when Cas jerked back. He didn't know if he should apologize for going too far and the look on Cas' face didn't help him any. The man looked panicked and a little annoyed. He leaned backed and then took a step away, immediately missing the warmth from the other man.

Castiel scowled and jerked Dean forward again, annoyed the other man had put distance between them. "Nothing," he muttered and swiftly cut off any more conversation with another kiss. He fought a smile when Dean moaned softly and practically went limp in his arms. It was good to know he wasn't the only one being swarmed with strange reactions. He moaned softly when he felt Dean's hand slide along his back, his calloused fingers fluttering along the soft skin. He pressed himself closer to Dean, enjoying the other man's boldness as his hands dipped and caressed his ass.

"We should go somewhere else," he mumbled against Dean's lips.

Dean nodded, not caring where they ended up. He didn't even care if they stayed in the barn but apparently Cas wasn't digging the idea of being bent over a hay bale. Or giving Impala a show (even though the horse was merely looking at them with an equine version of complete boredom). He leaned back and let his hands travel down Cas' chest before chuckling.

"Hold on a second," he said when he got his breath back. He wiggled out of Cas' grip and unclipped Impala from the cross ties and quickly lead him into his stall. "There, now we can go where ever you want," he said after he closed the door and bolted it. He leaned against the door, his brain kicking back in now that he was no longer sandwiched against Cas. "I really don't want to come off as a tease—" He ran a hand through his hair and grabbed the back of his neck as he stared at Cas apologetically.

Now that his brain wasn't swamped with hormones, and decisions were no longer strictly down to his dick, he was thinking a little clearer.

"I get it," Castiel said softly, wrapping an arm around Dean's waist and leaving one last soft, short kiss on his lips. "I do," he assured with a nod when Dean gave him a questioning look.

It was regretful, of course, he mused as he shifted himself in his jeans, but by no means something he was going to rush. A shame, really...

Dean nodded, relieved to see understanding on Cas' face. He was going to have a hell of a time keeping his distance and he was pretty sure he was going to fail at some point but he'd worry about that if (er... when) the time came. "Thanks," he said softly and slowly pushed Cas back, keeping his hands on his chest for a moment longer. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said and turned and left the barn, using nearly all of his will power to keep himself from turning back around or running to his cabin as fast as he could.

Castiel watched Dean go, sighing but content to watch his sexy back and ass slowly disappear into the darkness. It sucked to watch the man walk away, but it was a rather appealing sight. He closed the door, marveling at the trust Dean showed to leave the task to him. He figured the other man was reluctant to go further simply because of the very temporary situation they were in. Normally he wouldn't care, prefer it even, and it was a bit unsettling to realize he wasn't exactly disagreeing with the logic. He didn't look forward to the end of his time here anymore, wishing he could see if the attraction and tentative friendship with Dean was something... more.

He sighed and walked back towards his cabin, his pace slow as he thought and brooded. He let himself into his cabin, heading right for the bath for a long, relaxing soak.

...

Over the next few days, Castiel found himself at Dean's side at every opportunity; which was often since he didn't have much else to occupy his time. He also found himself wrapped around the other man, their bodies pressed close together and their lips attached at every opportunity, as well. He took to either meeting Dean at his cabin or in the Dining Hall for dinner.

He even got along with Jo now that he knew she was just a friend. (He gave Dean a solid punch in the arm when the man laughed with delight at his 'jealousy'; the bastard.) The woman was very amusing, if a bit crude at times. He took her excuse of it being her 'southern charm' as truth, even if he thought southern ladies were supposed to be more reserved than that. He admitted that seeing one movie about women of the south didn't make him any expert...

He often found himself helping Dean with his chores, happily taking breaks to kiss and (lightly) fondle each other whenever they could. They'd only been caught once. Unfortunately it was by Jo, who apparently found the image of them kissing very arousing and they had to physically chase the gawking woman from the area after the fifth time she begged them to continue 'as if I'm not here'. Freakin' woman...

His solo rides became trail rides since he no longer needed instructions. And for the privacy. It was nice. Just him and Dean; they would wander the ranch's wooded area, going as deep as they could in their time allotted and stealing a few moments alone. He hadn't ever enjoyed nature or quiet trail rides before and he blamed Dean. Even when they were just riding along side each other quietly, it was enjoyable.

"Are all of these trees native to the area?" Castiel asked, looking up into the rather dense canopy. He hadn't any real knowledge of plants, knowing only enough to avoid poison ivy after a very painful, embarrassing, run in with it when he was 10. They were laying atop their saddle blankets, comfortably leaning against a large tree trunk as his hand trailed lazily through Dean's hair. He enjoyed feeling the silky softness going through his fingers and Dean, apparently, loved the attention as he would drape himself across his body and nuzzle against him like a cat whenever his hand paused too long.

Dean opened an eye and looked around. "Yeah, my brother Sam helped me with the planting—guy's a freakin' machine with a shovel." He pointed to a large tree across the clearing, its dark broad leaves nearly touching the ground and fragrant white flowers dotting the large tree. "That's my favorite. It's a magnolia. I haven't a clue why but the smell reminds me of summer and..." he trailed off, unsure if he should continue. It made no sense, but the smell reminded him of his mother and he never knew why.

He shifted, closing his eyes again with a contented hum when Cas' long, agile, fingers went back to sliding through his hair. He grunted softly when blunt nails scrapped across his scalp. That was the stuff, right there.

"I can see why," Castiel finally said, inhaling deeply and letting the heavy aroma of the flowers tickle his nose. He didn't know why Dean trailed off but he was pretty sure it had to do with his mother. Dean really only avoided speaking about the people he cared about; well, the dead people he cared about—Dean's parents, especially. He didn't always avoid talking about them, and the times Dean opened up, he listened intently and tried to reciprocate as best he could.

(Dean had laughed until he cried when he told him about his brother, Gabriel. Apparently, Dean's sense of humor rivaled that of a 12-year-olds', like Gabe, and he thought his brother was a comic genius. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry about that.)

He didn't know how to console the man and just continued in his ministrations, content to feel the man shift and get comfortable as he reclined against his chest. They didn't have long before Dean had to focus on other groups and lessons, but it never failed to be the highlight of his day.

"We should head back," Castiel said regretfully. He didn't make any moves to get up though, leaving that for Dean as usual.

Dean turned, shifting one leg up and over so he was straddling Cas. "I'm sorry," he said softly, looking down and fiddling with one of the pearly buttons on the shirt Cas was wearing. It was one of his; he didn't know why he kept it when it shrunk the first time he washed it, but he's glad he did. It looked good on Cas and fit him perfectly.

"What for?" Castiel asked, surprised. As if on their own, his hands moved up to slide up and down Dean's sides before sweeping down to lightly cup his ass. He tried to think back the past few minutes and figure out what Dean would apologize for but came up with nothing.

Dean sighed and looked up, shyly meeting Cas' curious gaze. He wanted to slap himself when both dark eyebrows rose, Cas immediately noticing his demeanor._ Of course_ he would, the guy was scarily tuned into him anymore. "I guess for not giving in. It seems stupid now that I say it out loud... I just don't want you to think I don't want to screw you silly, but— Oh god," he groaned and covered his eyes, flopping forward to press his face into Cas' chest. He really couldn't look to see Cas' expression, unwilling to see his reaction to him being such a freakin' girl. "I just can't seem to let myself get that close to you, knowing..."

"I know, and don't apologize," Castiel said quietly. It took a minute of struggling, but he finally got Dean to lift his face and he slid his hands up, cupping Dean's face. He gave the other man a small smile when green eyes peeked up at him through dark lashes and had to really force himself not to just push Dean over and start humping him like a horny dog.

Goddammit, he should get some sort of award for his restraint.

"Look, I'm not sure what to do about it either but I don't think I can keep up the cold showers and solo-lovin'. I'm going to do myself a serious injury!" he said, mocking horror.

Dean snorted, amused probably more than he should be since he really did share Cas' situation. "Well," he said and slowly crawled off of Cas' lap and got to his feet. He offered the other man a hand up, sliding it around his waist once he was on his feet, and kiss him once he was standing again. "Let's head back."

"Alright," Castiel just nodded and smiled his thanks when Dean gave him a leg-up, settling himself in his saddle as he watched Dean do his sexy hop/slide maneuver into his own saddle. Fucking showoff. "How on earth do you do that?" he asked once Dean was settled and leading Impala back towards 'home'.

Dean shrugged. "I dunno. I just do. I've had to climb up without assistance a few times and it's just how I do it now." It had taken awhile to get it down right right, but it was very handy when he had to hop up quickly. "Why?" he asked, looking over at Castiel and blinking at the damn near feral look of lust on the other man's face. He felt himself reel a bit and gripped the saddle horn tightly.

"'Cause, it's sexy as fuck," Castiel said lowly. He wasn't exactly sorry for the rash words but he probably could've been a bit more... subtle. Or eloquent. "I wish I could do it. I probably wouldn't look half as good as you doing it, though."

Dean flushed, mostly from that naked look of heat from Cas, and looked away. "No one's ever said it was sexy before..." Or even _hinted_ as such. He didn't see how the brunette thought it was sexy but he wasn't going to argue. Sam always said he looked like a midget hopping over a pony, but maybe Sasquatch was just jealous of his super-sexy cowboyness.

"Well, either they were too shy to say or they're blind," Castiel said with a haughty sniff, as if offended on Dean's behalf. "I mean, it really just..." He trailed off and shuddered pleasantly, the image of Dean's taut, jean covered ass and rippling thigh muscles very clear in his mind. He smirked when Dean kept staring at him, willing him to continue. "It's just sexy, OK?"

Dean nodded blankly, still reeling from surprise. He'd probably never again lever himself up and into a saddle again without getting a mental flash of Cas saying it was 'sexy as fuck' with that boner-inducing, fuckhot look in his eyes. He squirmed in his saddle, only a little put out the other man had him half-hard. Again. He'd been calming down from their heated make-out session and it was back with just one heated look and Cas' words.

Thankfully, by the time they saw the barn, he was calmed down enough that when Impala took off in a gallop in his excitement to be back, he didn't smash himself painfully in the saddle.

Castiel enjoyed Dean's delighted whoop as Impala took off and just held on as Pickles picked up his pace to follow. He tried to remember his lessons and felt a lot more confident flying across the field on the back of a running beast, no longer fearing he'd fall or get horribly mangled in some way. It was almost fun. He found more enjoyment, as expected, in watching Dean as he rode and grinning stupidly with the simple pleasure.

...

"Is there anything better than peach cobbler with whipped cream?"

Castiel shrugged, spooning his own dessert into his mouth. It was good, sure. He did find himself growing quite fond of peaches and idly wondered how he'd get them back home without resorting to extreme methods He looked up and saw Dean watching him and barely suppressed the urge to wink or lick his lips in a lascivious manner. He knew Dean wouldn't mind but he refused to encourage Jo, The Pervert.

"I'm partial to Black Forest Torte, but this is quite good as well."

"My favorite is pie," Dean said absently, scraping his spoon along his dish to get the very last bite of dessert.

Jo paused in her shoveling and gave Dean a curious look. She knew that but Castiel didn't and she figured someone had to ask since Castiel was too busy staring at Dean's mouth as he licked his spoon and did all sorts of inappropriate things with his fingers. "What kind?" She was very aware that her and Castiel were both watching with interest as Dean practically made out with his bowl, getting all the sticky remnants of the peachy-whipped cream out. God, it was like freakin' food porn.

Dean shrugged. "Pie." He got two unimpressed looks and huffed. "Apple," he said after taking a moment to think, shrugging helplessly, completely at a loss of how to explain he didn't really care; pie was pie and he was very equal opportunity. He didn't know nearly enough desserts to be able to say every damn variety; but he hadn't met one yet that he didn't like. "But I ain't all that picky; pie is pie."

Katie nodded. "Ah, so you're just a pie whore." She grinned, nodding knowingly.

"C_onnoisseur_," Dean corrected, laughing. "And yes. I haven't met one I didn't like... Love at first bite," he said grinning. "Sammy tries to slip me cake," he said, scowling darkly as he remembered his brother's lame excuses. For a genius, Sam could be really freakin' stupid when it came to the good things in life.

Castiel hummed thoughtfully. He'd never attempted baking before but it might be worth a shot. He idly wondered if there was any pie filling around; what he wouldn't give for enough to smear all over his body... He shook his head, scattering those thoughts away. He really didn't need to get himself worked up in the middle of the damn Dining Hall. Or in front of Jo.

"So, tomorrow is Saturday," he said, hoping to change the subject. Mostly for himself; another few moments of thinking about Dean and pie filling and he wouldn't be able to leave the table without embarrassment for awhile. And he wasn't sure what Dean had planned. He didn't want to assume the other man would be free to spend the entire day together.

"Well, no lessons all day so we're completely free." Dean glanced at Castiel with a pointed look and nearly beamed when the Cas' cheeks pinked delicately and he nodded before looking away. Excellent.

Jo made a gushy, cooing noise and clapped her hands excitedly, bouncing a little in her seat. "Oh! That's so freakin' adorable! You should—"

"Jo!" Dean interrupted, smiling. "We'll figure something out, don't you worry."

Jo wolf-whistled this time, waggling her eyebrows in a ridiculously perverted way and making a very rude, very obscene hand gesture under the table. She laughed when Dean's eyes bugged out a little. How adorable! "Ooh, there's always nookie!" she said wisely.

"Nookie?"

Jo grinned, miming the gesture again, above the table so Castiel could see it, and making it clear what she meant. Who didn't know what nookie meant, anyway?

"Oh," Castiel said, snorting with amusement even while he was reeling with shock and a healthy bit of desire. And maybe a little embarrassment to see Jo doing something so vulgar. He did not want to look at Dean and see the idea confirmed or denied. He just couldn't handle it at the moment; he did need to leave the table at some point this evening... He focused back on his dessert, trying not to frown when he realized Dean was doing the same thing. Damn.

**...**

Castiel walked next to Dean, his stride matching Dean's. It was almost awkward until he got used to the ambling gait. "So..."

"I knew you'd ask," Dean said, amusement heavy in his voice.

"What?" Castiel tried to sound confused or at least annoyed. He still wasn't very fond of Dean knowing him so well as to think he could read his mind or anticipate his thoughts. Even if he usually could, the self-assured dick.

Dean turned enough to give Cas a pointed look. "Nookie. You're still thinking about it."

"So?" Castiel finally asked after a long pause. He didn't see the point in denying it; it wasn't like he hadn't been thinking of it before Jo started flailing her hands around, wiggling her fingers and stuffing them into her closed fist and making rude facial expressions.

Dean laughed and paused in his steps, turning to look at Cas fully and moved close enough to drape his arms over the blonde's shoulders. "So, I already said I wanted to." He moved his hands so they were cupping the back of Cas' neck, his fingers idly toying with dark, messy hair brushing along his collar.

"But you didn't say anything earlier..."

Dean snorted softly and pulled Cas down into a kiss briefly, before walking again. "In front of Jo? _Seriously_? After the way she's been completely ogling us? No thank you. I really don't need her pressed up against my windows, panting and drooling like some pervert and hoping for a peek."

"Your windows? Why not my windows? And why not just—I dunno—draw the curtains and foil the little peeping tom?"

Dean paused again. "It really doesn't matter whose windows," he said, smirking and rolling his eyes before walking again. They were headed towards his cabin and he really didn't know if Cas was that oblivious or just difficult. "And of course I got curtains, but that doesn't mean she won't try. She's a very determined woman, Cas."

"Hmm," Castiel hummed thoughtfully, noticing they were climbing the porch steps of Dean's cabin. He narrowed his eyes. "Are we engaging in nookie now? Is that why you said _your_ windows?" he finally asked, smirking both at the question and the silly word. He followed Dean inside and closed the door behind himself, hearing the lock snick quietly.

Dean laughed and shook his head, not exactly in answer but in bemusement. "Is there ever a time you aren't thinking with your dick?" he asked, toeing off his boots and tossing his hat onto the closest surface. Like he was one to talk, but it was doing things to him to realize Cas wasn't all that much different than any other guy, once you past his weirdness and got down to it.

"Not recently... Especially around you," Castiel said honestly, pulling Dean close and kissing him thoroughly. He pulled back, panting softly and enjoying the light flush on Dean's cheeks; it made his freckles stand out and he idly wondered if Dean would think it weird if he kissed them. "If you don't tell me you're the same, I'm going to be terribly insulted."

Dean slowly nodded, licking his lips. He was distracted by Cas even when he wasn't around. He spent too many moments of each class wishing he was with Cas instead of the assorted group of flirting housewives and horse-crazy tweens.

"Well, yeah, of course," he finally said, grinning. He ran his hands down Cas' back and nearly purred. "I often have to force myself to concentrate in my other groups," he admitted, angling his head to kiss along Cas' neck, gently pushing his index finger against Cas' jaw to give himself more room when the other man just stood there, stunned and didn't angle his head on his own.

He ran his nose along the for-once smooth skin and sighed. He almost missed Cas' usual scruffy face; it would probably make really erotic sounds when he rubbed himself on it. "Son of a bitch," he muttered against Cas' neck, kissing and licking the area with renewed fervor when Cas finally got with the program and tilted his head for better access. "God, you're fucking hot," he moaned, his hands wandering wherever they could reach.

"I knew it—" Cas murmured, gasping when Dean's hand dove under his shirt and strong, agile fingers pinched and fondled his nipples. His way-too-sensitive nipples. "—you're only interested in my body."

Dean shook his head, his thumbs dragging across the now hardened nubs through Cas' shirt before leaning down to mouth the area, exhaling hotly when Cas arched against him with a breathy little moan. Cas was only a little bit shorter than him and it was a pretty damn good match at the moment. "Not true. You're the whole package," he said, sliding his hand down and cupping a very nice, very warm, very hard bulge.

"I am," Castiel agreed, walking Dean backwards enough to have them tumble onto the closest sofa. He settled his knees on either side of the other man and looked down, smirking at the flushed and eager expression on Dean's face. "But, seriously; if you don't want to go further, we should stop now."

Dean gnawed his bottom lip, in serious thought. Fuck it—he really didn't want to stop. He slowly shook his head and pulled Cas down by his shirt. "No, keep going." He kissed Cas hard, nipping his full bottom lip. There was an amusing squeak as his ass slid across the leather of the sofa and he snorted. "But not here," he said, pushing gently at Cas' shoulders. He quickly stood as soon as he was able to slide out from under the brunette and hurried towards his room. He sent a smirk over his shoulder at a dazed Cas.

Cas was standing there wide-eyed, lips wet and a little puffy, his jeans and shirt opened and his dark hair a complete mess from Dean's fingers. Jesus, what the fuck was he thinking to even consider saying no to that?

"You comin'?" Dean asked, already working his jeans down over his hips. He did a little shimmy, they pooled at his feet and he kicked them free.

"Fuck yeah!" Castiel said, nodding enthusiastically.

He practically ran over and slapped Dean's hands away when the other man reached for his shirt. He'd been itching to strip the man himself and he didn't want to waste the opportunity. "Let me," he said, letting his fingers dip between the soft cotton and Dean's skin, brushing and stroking the soft, warm skin. He groaned when he pushed the material over Dean's muscled shoulders. He followed the line of Dean's collarbone with his lips and teeth, chuckling softly when Dean made a strangled sound and fingers dug into his hips.

Castiel looked down and saw the tiny, tight, bright red briefs Dean was wearing. "How... why are those sexy?" he mused, running a finger over the elastic waistband and snapping it lightly before sliding a hand around Dean's hip and cupping the man's ass through the thin fabric.

Dean looked down and then shrugged. He wasn't exactly sure what Cas was asking. He hadn't exactly planned on anyone seeing his underwear and even if he had, it wasn't like he had any classified as 'sexy'. It wasn't like he was wearing panties or anything like that.

"Because they are," Cas elaborated, seeing Dean's confusion. "On you."

Dean grinned and set to work getting Cas in a similar state, longing to see him naked. He'd only been able to see peeks and slivers of skin, his fingers only grazing the soft warmth and he was practically drooling at the chance to see. He fumbled with an elaborate belt buckle and sucked his teeth. "Get it off before I use my knife," he muttered.

"Yes, sir," Castiel intoned and worked the buckle off and pulled his belt free with a snap of leather. He stared when he realized Dean had used that time to shimmy out of his underwear. He nearly pouted; he'd wanted to do that. He stood back and eyed the man from head to toe, pausing long enough to appreciate the very nice cock practically waving at him. "Hmm," he hummed with pleasure. He let Dean finish getting him naked, shivering and arching against the man with each brush of those hands and fingers. Fuck, they were amazing.

"Wait..."

Dean looked up, unsure why he was being stopped but obeying nonetheless. He blinked when he realized Cas was blushing. Or maybe that was just a lusty flush... Still—he had to lick his lips. "What?"

"Can you... uhm..." Castiel blew out a breath and pointed across the room. "Get the boots and hat," he finally said, his nerves making his words come out sharply, more like a demand. He nearly apologized until he saw Dean hurrying over to get the requested items. Hmm. Interesting. He leaned against the bedroom door jamb and watched eagerly as Dean put the items on without being asked. And just... stared.

Alright, Jo had a very good point: Dean in only his hat and boots was drool worthy. Just to be on the safe side, he wiped at his chin with the back of his hand. It didn't look ridiculous as he'd originally thought it might.

He again eyed the man slowly, looking him up and down and slowly smiling at the erotic image. OK. It was a _little_ bit silly... but mostly just have him lots of dirty ideas of what to do with a mostly naked cowboy.

"Alright," Castiel drawled, crooking a finger at Dean in a beckoning motion that had the cowboy sauntering towards him. Cas was happy to watch, unabashedly staring and licking his lips as he eyed Dean appreciatively.

Castiel reached up and slid the hat off Dean's head, running a hand through the slightly smooshed locks and smiling with fond affection when the hair sprung up and went back to it's usual state of casually-but-carefully-styled disarray. "Now the boots," he said, having no interest in having them on the bed. They were pointy and he didn't want to be jabbed somewhere sensitive. He stepped back enough to give Dean room to toe them off again.

"Well?" Dean asked, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He'd felt rather silly standing in just his hat and boots but he'd do it again, able to ignore it by the heated look Cas sent him—like he wanted to freakin' eat him. The look Cas was _still_ sending him. "Was it as silly as you thought?"

Castiel slowly shook his head. "No, it was sexy as hell," he assured, crowding the other man and kissing him, moaning softly as their naked bodies rubbed and pressed against each other. He cupped the side of Dean's neck with one hand while the other slowly slid down Dean's back and groped his ass. He kissed Dean again and edged him towards the bed. He pulled away, unsure how to ask how the other man wanted to continue. He didn't have to when a small bottle of lube was handed to him and Dean settled himself against the bed and opened his thighs in invitation.

He stared, incredibly turned on just by the offer and was fully hard before he could blink. He hadn't honestly expected that but there was no way he was looking a gift cowboy in the mouth. He stretched out between Dean's spread legs and got comfortable.

Castiel watched Dean, enjoying the other man's enthusiasm, as his fingers aroused and relaxed the other man. Dean made it known he was enjoying Cas' touch. The soft little pants, moans and gasps of pleasure as he writhed on the bed was at once endearing and arousing as hell.

By the time it was obvious he could move on, he slipped Dean's hat back on with a roguish grin. They ended up having to track it down and put it back on numerous times.

Not that either of them minded.

...

"C'mon!" Jo whined, pulling on Dean's sleeve and stamping her feet childishly. "You _gotta_ tell me! I'm _dyin_'!"

Dean laughed and gently shook the woman's hand off, shaking his head. He was not about to give any details of his evening with Cas; he wasn't embarrassed but some things were private, dammit. "You are not dying, you are just nosy. I'm not sayin' a word."

"Oh!" Jo squealed triumphantly as she waved her hands around, knowing exactly what _that_ meant. "You totally did it! I knew it!" she said, pumping a fist in the air. She fanned herself, mental images assaulting her. Good god, that had to have been steamy! "So, how was it?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows and bumping her shoulder into Dean's, giggling when she was only glared at. "Alright," she said, raising a hand. "I get it. You're a gentlemen," she said with an eye roll. Dean glared at her and she huffed, pouting a little. "Fine. Spoil sport."

Dean shook his head, chuckling softly as he walked away from Jo and got on with other things besides fending off the gossip queen. He went about his morning chores on auto-pilot and his mind wandered, as it usually did. And as it did recently, his thoughts wandered to Cas. He'd been pleasantly surprised to wake up this morning with a warm, messy haired body pillow, Cas' soft snores puffing at his hair at regular intervals. He was a secret cuddler and it amused him Cas appeared to be as well.

The other man had woken with a smile, stretching and making a sound like a contented cat, and they'd managed to have enough time to fool around in the shower (Cas teasing him mercilessly about having lube in the shower, but shutting the fuck up once it came in handy) before he'd left for his morning chores. It was a bit weird to have someone else in his cabin but he didn't mind. It was actually pretty damn nice thinking of Cas making himself comfortable, in his place, until his morning classes.

"Huh?" He jerked himself out of his pleasant thoughts, shaking his head. He hoped he didn't blush when he realized Jo was speaking to him, and probably had been for awhile. Now she was leering, as if she knew exactly where his thoughts had been. Perv.

"I said—" Jo repeated, grinning widely. It was adorable to see Dean blushing, his cheeks all pink and his face averted as if that would keep her from seeing it. "I was going to take my morning group through the secondary trail. Did you notice if they'd fixed the fence yet?"

Dean nodded, focusing back on his task. He wasn't sure when he'd moved on from tossing hay portions into the stalls and went onto grooming Impala, though. He mentally shrugged, chalking it up to ingrained habit and muscle memory, and focused on rubbing the rubber curry into Impala's coat, massaging and brushing the animal's shiny coat. He patted the horse's flank fondly when Impala threw his head around for an affectionate nibble, catching his sleeve in between his lips and lipping the fabric for a moment.

"They finally got around to it yesterday. I noticed when I was out there with Cas."

"Oh, fantastic!" Jo gushed. She didn't comment about the Castiel part, knowing Dean would probably elbow her in annoyance. It was adorable and she felt a bit bad the pair wouldn't have much more time together. It had been a long time since she'd seen Dean this happy and contented...

"So," she said slowly, running a brush through Fiona, her Palomino mare's, tail. She snorted a laugh when the horse flicked her tail, slapping at her arm with the strands. She grinned when Dean turned to give her his attention, his brows already pinched in annoyance. Or maybe confusion, if he'd spaced out again. "I was only going to ask which group you prefer."

Dean snorted, not buying it for a moment. He smiled though, appreciating Jo's ability to censor herself when it mattered.

"Probably the second afternoon group. It's mostly kids," he said and shrugged. He liked kids alright, as long as they weren't annoying teenagers or sticky toddlers. His favorite was Timmy, a shy little boy from Philadelphia. He didn't know why the kid was so far from home but he was glad the kid was finally coming out of his shell and showing confidence around the horses and with his riding ability. He reminded Dean of Sam when he was at that gangly, awkward age. "Timmy and Katie are coming along nicely."

"Oh! Is he that cute little kid that nearly puked his first day?" Dean nodded, smiling a little as he remembered Timmy's face turning a slight shade of green. It was probably all the open space and fresh air... "Aww; yeah. He's adorable. I'm glad he finally found his inner cowboy." She paused, tapping her lip as she thought, "Katie; she's that rude girl, right?"

Dean laughed, switching to a brush for Impala's mane. "Yeah, but I wouldn't say she's rude. She's just... vocal." He found out that she was the youngest, and only girl, to four brothers. Add in the fact she barely could look over a yardstick and he wasn't surprised she was a feisty little thing that didn't take anyone's bullshit. He liked her. "She took to Timmy right away, so I never had a problem with her. I think Timmy is totally smitten, too."

It was still amusing to see the pair working together and hanging whenever possible. Timmy followed Katie around like a puppy and she never seemed to mind. Or take advantage of the kid and order him around. Another reason he liked Katie; she was small but she knew how to look out for people, too.

He shook his head fondly and finished up, saddling Impala for his first lesson. He glared when Jo snickered at his trying-for-subtle-but-failing-miserably shifting once he got into the saddle and seriously considered flipping her off. He settled for ignoring her and left the barn with his chin up; he really wasn't nearly as sore as he expected. He hadn't exactly taken it easy last night...

...

Castiel smiled as he hurried over the table Dean and Jo were sitting at, sliding into the seat next to Dean. He resisted the urge to kiss him hello, and just subtly squeezed his thigh under the table. "Long day?" he asked, taking in Dean's slightly drooped posture and the tired lines around his eyes.

"Yeah," Dean said quietly, stiffing a yawn and eating with deliberate motions. He didn't want to spill food on his lap, or down his shirt, and he wanted to avoid putting a forkful of food into his nose. Again. He was absolutely wiped out; he couldn't remember having a more tiring day. "I had the kids today. Ended up chasing nearly every one of those little fuckers when Davey-boy opened the gate and they all took off." In different directions, the complete and utter little shits.

Castiel held in a snort and just nodded in what he hoped was an understanding way, rubbing a hand over Dean's shoulder soothingly. He grinned when it brought a very soft moan and Dean leaned into him. "I'll give you a proper massage later, hmm?"

"Oh yeah, that would be fan-fucking-tastic," Dean sighed, looking at Cas with equal parts adoration, appreciation and gratitude. Son of a bitch, Cas was—he was just the best.

Castiel nodded, unable to speak for a moment, his chest feeling tight from Dean's look. He needed to take a few breathes before he could swallow properly and focused on eating. He mainly just listened to the conversation between Jo and Dean; amused by Jo's attempts at conversation and Dean's effort to stay interested. And awake.

He couldn't take anymore the fifth time Dean's eyes slowly drifted closed and his head dipped forward. He stood up before they even finished dessert (grateful it wasn't pie, or Dean would've probably refused to go and suffocated himself as he face-planted in his pie) and gently prodded Dean from his chair.

"C'mon," he said softly, guiding Dean up and out of his chair and from the Dining Hall (waving briefly to a playfully leering, giggling Jo) and led the other man towards his own cabin.

"I saw quite the array of massage oils in my rooms," Castiel said as he let Dean into his cabin. When he first saw them, he'd be curious but now he was just happy they were there.

"Mmmkay," Dean hummed, moving towards Cas' bedroom and flopping face-first onto the bed as soon as he was close enough. He moaned softly when he sunk into the comfortable mattress. He wasn't able to enjoy it long; Cas was pulling off his boots, jeans and flipping him over. He sighed with contentment when he felt deft fingers unbuttoning his shirt and he wriggled lazily when he felt Cas sliding his shirt off and down his shoulders.

He flopped onto his belly again and pillowed his head on his folded arms. "Are you really going to give me a massage?" he asked, his voice muffled by his arms. He wasn't going to bother lifting his head—he couldn't. He wanted to be more excited about being practically naked with Cas, but a massage sounded just as good right about now.

Castiel just climbed on top of Dean, settling himself comfortably on the man's thighs, and shook the bottle of massage oil to mix it. "I am," he said and squirted some oil onto his hands, rubbing them together. Once he deemed it warm enough, he lowered his hands onto Dean's shoulders and smiled at the low moan he heard from under him the moment he started squeezing.

"Feel good?" he murmured, leaning down enough to nip at Dean's ear before leaning back, working and kneading the tight muscles with firm movements. He chuckled when Dean only groaned softly and nodded his head weakly. He continued down Dean's back, smoothing his hands along his lower back in a caress, more than happy with his task as he fondled and kneaded strong muscles. He scooted back a bit and slid Dean's underwear down, swallowing reflexively when he revealed his ass.

"You're tense," he said softly, shamelessly kneading and squeezing the globes of Dean's ass. He slowly slid his thumbs up, circling the dimples above each cheek.

"Not there," Dean mumbled, his voice still muffled but the amusement still clear. He couldn't help it when his thighs parted, making Cas sink down to settle between his legs comfortably. He really didn't want to move but the brunette's magic hands were arousing him to the point he would be turning over any moment. He moaned softly and arched his back when agile fingers fluttered between his cheeks and he peeked over his shoulder. He really enjoyed the sight of a flushed Cas, his pink tongue poking out between his pale lips as his darkened eyes flicked all over his prone body.

He wiggled his hips and chuckled when Cas' eyes eagerly followed the movements. He managed to turn himself over without unsettling Cas too much and he slid his legs up a little and folded his hands behind his head. "I'm feeling much better," he said, his voice a bit huskier than usual.

Castiel looked up and grinned, pleased to see Dean was no longer so drowsy. He wasn't sure if the massage would relax or arouse the other man and he had been willing to accept either reaction. He was quite pleased to see the latter...

"Are you?" he mused, dropping to his elbows and leaning over and kissing Dean languidly, cupping his cheek. "Hmmm," he hummed, slowly grinding his hips down against Dean's. "How much better?"

"Much," Dean repeated, wrapping his hands around Cas' neck and pulling the other man down. He felt wonderfully relaxed and revitalized. "You and those magic fingers helped."

Castiel chuckled and focused his 'magic fingers' lower and nearly lost his breath when Dean arched against him with a soft, needy little whine. He focused on his task and nearly rushed, almost unable to wait with each breathy gasp and soft moan. Jesus, Dean was going to be the death of him at this rate. He didn't know whether to protest at the abrupt move or grunt like a damn animal when Dean's legs wrapped around his waist and his feet dug into his ass and shoved him forward; he'd just barely managed to slick himself properly.

He grunted, only slightly embarrassed by the sound, and settled against Dean with a soft sigh. Again, he felt Dean's hips arch and circle and just lost himself in sensation.

...

"I don't think I've ever done this before," Castiel muttered, shifting against the inflated bath pillow to re-situate Dean a little more comfortably between his legs. He splashed the fragrant water, watching it drip down Dean's bicep. He followed the lacy bubbles with a fingertip and smirked when he felt the other man shiver pleasantly.

Dean settled back against Cas' chest with a soft hum and close his eyes. "It can be really fun," he said with a snicker, sliding a slick hand down Cas' thigh under the warm water. He wasn't one for baths often, but he had eagerly jumped at the chance to enjoy one with Cas when he mentioned it. The tub was big enough and it was really comfortable. He swirled a hand through the bubbles and fought the urge to unleash an unmanly giggle when Cas squeaked with the abrupt movement. "Sorry."

"You are not," Castiel sniffed, playfully slapping at Dean. He was pretty sure the other man knew exactly what he was doing with each move he made. It wasn't at all unpleasant to feel his slippery ass sliding along his growing arousal, either. It just didn't strike him as the best place for round 2. It was pretty slippery in here...

Dean chuckled and relaxed again, rolling his shoulders as he settled against Cas with a soft sigh. "You're really comfortable," he murmured after a long moment of enjoying the warm water. Thankfully, Cas enjoyed the water hot and the room was almost stifling with the heat and steam generated. It was awesome; very relaxing. He felt his eyes growing heavy and he jerked his head up. "Too comfortable."

"Well, that must mean we should move along," Castiel drawled, gently pushing Dean forward so he could get out. He helped Dean stand and out of the tub. He eyed the dripping man hotly and pouted when Dean wrapped himself with a fluffy blue towel. He fought the urge to nibble his lip with nerves, unsure if he should invite Dean to stay or not.

He had really enjoyed waking up with the other man and he desperately hoped for a repeat. But he wasn't sure if he should ask, and risk sound needy, or not... It was rather annoying to feel so unsure around the other man. He smiled when Dean dropped his towel after a very brief rub down and wrapped his arms around his waist. Thoughts left for the few moments Dean kissed him, their lips and mouths moving in a lazy, fuzzy way that sent heat through him.

Dean leaned back enough and smiled against Cas' lips. "Hmm," he hummed, resting his cheek against Cas' shoulder for a breather. He absently toyed with a pale pink nipple and stepped back. He suddenly grinned and rushed, naked, from the bathroom and towards the bed, flopping down in the middle of the comfortable mattress with a sigh. He gathered some of the blankets around him and rolled, forming a cocoon.

"I call middle!" he said and wriggled towards the middle of the bed. He'd briefly wondered if Cas would kick him out or not but the warm, hopeful expression he saw on the his face solved that issue. He was nearly giddy with the realization that he wasn't being kicked out or being too clingy. He laughed when he was pounced on, rolling and wiggling as Cas tried to wrestle the blankets away.

"Dean! You little bed hog!" Castiel huffed, trying to get the smaller man out of the middle of the bed. It was a good sized bed but he would be hanging off either side if Dean didn't move it! He probably should have figured the other man would have a massive immature streak. He was having a surprisingly tough time moving the other man (he was solid and determined) but he wasn't annoyed. He was still reeling from Dean's self-invitation, flushed with warmth and pleasure from the easy way he invited himself to stay. He hadn't known how to ask and he was relieved he didn't have to.

"Dean," he huffed again, trying to get some of his blankets back. He could only see a tuft of messy dark blonde hair and he rolled his eyes fondly. "You can't hog the whole bed," he muttered, kicking at Dean's blanket-clad ass.

Dean's head poked out the blankets, his eyes nearly twinkling with mischief and merriment. Castiel was torn between looking amused and annoyed so he didn't feel that bad about his immature act.

"Alright," he conceded, rolling himself towards the other side of the bed, the blankets still firmly wrapped around him. He snickered when Cas huffed again. "Fine," he sighed and wiggled until the blankets came loose. He watched as Cas righted everything, muttering as he yanked and pulled, and slide in between the sheets with a soft sigh. He scootched over and draped himself across Cas, resting his head on the perfectly shaped indent between his chest and shoulder. "This OK?" he whispered.

"Mmhmm," Castiel hummed, tightening his hold on Dean and bringing the man closer. He let his eyes drift closed and indulged himself in a sappy moment and dipped his head briefly to kiss the top of Dean's head and smell his hair. He couldn't explain the man's scent if he tried but it was soothing as much as it was intoxicating. He didn't even get to say 'good night' before he heard Dean's breathing even out and felt the other man go heavy and limp with sleep. He chuckled softly to himself, running a hand through Dean's hair as his own eyes slipped closed.

...

"So..."

Dean rolled his eyes and gave Jo a pointed 'get on with it' look. "Yes?"

"Castiel's leaving in two days," Jo said slowly. She bit her lip when Dean looked away and nodded once. "Have you— Are you..." she trailed off and hugged him around the shoulders with one arm. "What are you going to do?"

Dean shrugged. They hadn't really discussed it. He didn't bring it up, foolishly hoping Cas would. He had a feeling Cas hadn't because he either hadn't considered it (which would suck but was understandable) or was trying to ignore the fact. "I dunno," he mumbled, pushing food around on his plate.

He looked up occasionally, hoping to see Cas for breakfast, but the lazy ass rarely woke early if he didn't have to anymore—he had decided to enjoy his vacation. That and he was probably still recovering from last night, he thought with a grin. He'd found a bottle of whiskey and they barely got through a quarter of it before they were giggling like idiots and groping at each other like horny teenagers at prom. Cas really couldn't hold his liquor, either. He'd left the other man sprawled out on his bed (unleashing a super-manly giggle when Cas had whined and tried to grab him with sleepy arms when he had leaned in for a quick 'see you later' kiss) and he didn't expect to see him until lunch.

"What do you _want_ to do?" Jo pressed, leaning closer to look at Dean intently. She felt terrible for him, feeling pretty sure he'd managed to get quite attached to the sexy-nerdy Castiel in the short time they'd spent together. It was obviously a bit deeper than just a mutual attraction...

Dean shrugged again, feeling the urge to mope now. "I dunno," he mumbled again. He wanted to make Cas stay but he had serious doubts that would go over well. He couldn't move away, so that was out. He hoped they could call and stuff, and he was pretty sure traveling back and forth wouldn't be that big of a hassle; but it just didn't seem like it would be enough.

He heard how long distance things tended to work out and he felt something clench to think that might happen. Son of a bitch—he was confused and now he was headed for a world-class sulk. Goddammit.

"You should probably figure something out," Jo urged, her voice soft with concern. "I mean, it's not everyday you meet a guy like that."

Dean nodded and sighed. It was a complex sigh, somewhere between wistful, blissful and annoyed. He was well aware how lucky he was, even if only for a few weeks. He startled when someone flopped into the chair next to him. "Cas," he greeted, his voice full of happy surprise as his eyes lit up with happiness.

"Dean," Castiel grunted back, blearily reaching for the coffee. He ignored Jo's girly giggling and Dean's questioning expression, focusing on fixing his coffee with lots of cream and sugar and taking a few sips. He sighed happily, feeling the caffeine kick in, after he'd downed half of the mug. "Ah..." he sighed again, slumping down in his seat slightly. It had been so tempting to stay in bed, but he missed Dean and he knew waiting would only mean burnt coffee.

Dean rolled his lips together, trying not to laugh or smile adoringly at a grumpy (and probably hung over) Cas. Even with the coffee, it would be at least 10 minutes before Cas would be in the mood to talk. He just leaned against him subtly, his hand resting on his jean-covered thigh, and went back to his breakfast in slightly higher spirits.

It didn't take long for Cas to clear his throat pointedly and he looked over. "Hmm?"

"I want to speak with you... Privately—" Castiel murmured, his eyes flicking to an interested Jo briefly, "when you have a moment." He had Dean's schedule memorized by now but wasn't sure how interested the other man was to speak with him. He knew the moment he'd shuffled in, Dean would want to talk and he was insanely pleased the other man knew him well enough to stay quiet until he awoke fully (and downed at least two cups of coffee).

By the serious expression on Dean's face, he probably had a clue what was on his mind. Castiel rubbed his damp palms on his pants and waited for Dean's response. He wasn't honestly expecting a no, but Dean had a habit of surprising him at times and now could likely be one of those times...

"Yeah," Dean nodded slowly. Cas knew his schedule, so it wasn't like he didn't know when he'd be free. "Yeah, sure. I have a free spot right before you, actually," he said with a smile, enjoying the fact they'd have even more time together that morning. He had been convinced Cas would've slept through his morning lessons. They weren't mandatory, after all and Cas didn't really need them any more.

He watched Cas for a few moments, smiling softly as the other man went back to making out with his coffee and pouring another mug. "Should I be... worried?" he finally blurted out, unsure how to take the oddly blank expression that was now on Cas' face. He hadn't seen the brunette's stoic mask for weeks. He hadn't missed it.

"No, Dean," Castiel said softly, running a hand down Dean's arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. At least, he didn't think so... but he'd find out soon enough. He pecked a quick kiss on the corner of Dean's mouth, smiling softly at the dazed look that flitted across Dean's face. He was pleased to notice no one was staring or even paying them any mind (except Jo ogling them like a rabid fan-girl). He felt a bit silly for refraining himself for so long. "I'll see you in a few hours?"

Dean nodded and watched Castiel gracefully leave the Dining Hall, his hands wrapped around a fresh, steaming mug of coffee. He sighed like a lovesick fool, his chin propped up on his palm and his eyes didn't leave the doorway until he no longer saw the back of Cas.

"Shut up," he muttered, feeling Jo's amused gaze burning into the side of his head. "It could be about anything," he said when he finally turned and saw Jo eyeing him with cheerful optimism.

Jo nodded, waving a hand at Dean dismissively. "Maybe," she said, pulling apart a biscuit and dribbling honey on it. "I don't know him nearly as well as you do; was that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked, tucking the biscuit in her mouth and chewing quickly without taking her eyes off Dean. She was trying very hard not to giggle like a lunatic from the little kiss, but she'd never seen Cas be so affectionate before. It was adorable and sexy.

Dean shrugged, eating the last piece of sausage before pushing his plate away. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I'll find out," he said and squared his shoulders. He could take anything Cas had to say and deal with it. He slowly stood, kissing Jo on the top of the head. "I'll see you later," he said and hurried off to the barn for his first lesson.

He was distracted and jumpy, but thankfully his body knew the motions and his brain was free to wander. What could Cas want to talk about? He really couldn't figure out if the other man's expression was indicative of good news or bad. He absently chewed on the inside of his cheek and forced himself to pay attention during his lessons. He couldn't afford to space out and risk someone's safety.

By the time he was due to meet Cas, he was quietly freaking out. Dean met him at the barn and grabbed him around the upper arm, dragging him towards his already saddled horse. "C'mon," he said, stooping and offering a leg up.

Castiel stared for a moment before taking the offered hand and mounting Impala, raising an eyebrow when Dean slid on behind him. "Is this alright?" he asked, turning around enough to see Dean. He did enjoy the way they pressed together, Dean's arms coming around him and holding the reins in one hand while the other settled loosely around his waist. He was just concerned they were too much for Impala...

"Yeah, 'course," Dean said, already leading Impala towards the wooded trail. "Impala can handle it," he said, patting the horse affectionately. The horse made a snorting sound and Cas chuckled.

Dean leaned forward a little, peeking over Cas' shoulder, and tried to read the other man's expression. But he couldn't. He tightened the arm around Cas' waist, thrilled when the other man leaned back and settled against him. They were deep in the wooded area and Cas hadn't said anything yet. "I'm dyin' here," he muttered, unable to take the silence anymore. "What did you want to talk about?"

Castiel cleared his throat. "As soon as we stop, we'll talk." He wasn't exactly stalling, he just wanted to be able to see Dean as he spoke. He was ready to fidget and he needed the reassurance of seeing Dean face to sooth his nerves. He chuckled when Dean immediately lead Impala towards a shadowy spot and hopped off.

He accepted Dean's hand with a good-natured eye roll, allowing the help down since he was pretty sure Dean just wanted an excuse to fondle him as he 'helped' him. As soon as his feet were on the ground, he wrapped his arms around Dean with near panicky tightness. He was probably freaking Dean out a little, but he couldn't help it.

"I've had the best time here," he murmured softly, a hand sliding up Dean's back into Dean's hair.

Dean nodded his agreement. "Best coupla weeks I've had in a long time... possibly ever," he admitted quietly, relieved he wasn't able to see Cas' face. He just didn't know what the hell was going to be said next but he felt something relax with the confession, nonetheless. He squinted his eyes closed when he felt Cas quickly pull away and could feel him staring.

Castiel paused for a moment, elated and just contented to look at Dean. "I'm glad to hear that," he said softly. He cupped Dean's cheeks in both hands and smiled when green eyes slowly opened and looked back with curiosity. "I've been thinking..." he trailed off, sighing. He ignored Dean's burning gaze as best he could and let go. He looked around and found somewhere to sit. His knees were already feeling wobbly, he didn't trust himself to remain standing for long.

He patted the soft grass beside him and laughed when Dean rushed over and plopped down eagerly.

"What've you been thinking about?" Dean prompted when Cas only continued to fiddle with blades of grass and occasionally run a hand down his leg. The silence was killing him and he needed to know as much as he didn't want to know...

Castiel sighed and turned towards Dean again. "I've been thinking about staying," he admitted. He blinked when Dean's face broke into a painful looking grin. "But it's not as easy as that. It's... complicated," he said softly, hating the thought of wiping that bright smile from Dean's face. He swallowed thickly when the smile slowly dropped off and he wanted to smack himself.

"Oh." Dean's smile faltered and he tried not to think the worst. Is this when Cas gives him a list of why they couldn't stay together? Why they'd never work out? He tried to regulate his breathing and pay attention, realizing Cas wasn't done speaking. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look up at the other man and pay attention.

Castiel nodded and slowly drew Dean against his side, pleased there was no hesisitation and enjoying the feeling of his solid warmth pressed against him. "I have a few obligations back home. Most I can handle. Some... I don't know."

"Like what?" Dean asked quietly, afraid to hear of a fiancé or betrothed bride. (He didn't know if people still did that kinda shit anymore but he was also pretty sure rich people didn't give a shit about love when they married their kids off. Who knows. He just realized it was a very real, very depressing possibility.)

Or worse; a wife.

Dean swallowed thickly when he realized he never bothered to ask if Cas was single; he just took the absence of a ring (or indication of one) as sign enough. He wanted to cringe at the very idea he'd gotten involved with someone else's man. He really didn't think Cas was that kinda guy, but he didn't know _what_ to think and his imagination went a little... stupid.

Castiel cleared his throat. "I teach. College, he added as an after thought. "But that's not a big deal, I'm sure I can teach anywhere. My family—" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't beholden to his family for much but he knew they'd have an opinion and try to interfere. His mother especially. She might want him to be happy but that meant on her terms.

It definitely wouldn't be easy.

"Oh!" Dean said, relief shooting through him and making him feel dizzy and almost feverish. He heard enough about Cas' family that he wasn't that worried. Sure his parents were assholes (well, that's his take on how Cas described them) but most of his siblings were cool. It wasn't like they'd disown him or something... Hopefully. "Is that it?"

Castiel nodded, eyeing Dean warily. He wasn't sure what the other man was thinking... "Pretty much. But... that's the main issue. My family are... involved in many things and it's unlikely they'll be happy with me," he ended softly. He turned, looking at Dean fully and grabbed his hands in a tight grip. "If I were to go home, just for a few weeks to arrange things, what would you do?"

"Wait for you," Dean immediately answered. "I mean—" He could feel his face heat up but he didn't look away. "If you said you'd come back. I would. Wait, I mean," he said softly when Cas' eyes widened. He felt his cheeks heat even more, completely embarrassed but knowing he needed to say it; "I haven't felt this before so... I don't want to just let it slip away, you know?"

Castiel nodded and took a deep breath. "I do know."

"What if..." Dean cleared his throat and forced himself to ask. "What if you decide it was just a... fling and—?" He cut himself off, unable to finish.

Castiel stared for a long moment. "I doubt that will be the case." He paused and thought about it, though. "I suppose, if it doesn't work out, I go back," he said quietly, shrugging one shoulder. He hated to say it, but he had to realistic. He didn't want to uproot his entire life on a whim, for something that wouldn't amount to more than a 'vacation fling'. He really didn't feel that was the case, but he had to be more rational than he had been the past few weeks. Dean had a way of short-circuiting his better judgement... but that was probably not exactly a bad thing.

"OK," Dean said slowly, nodding. He could understand that but he was still stupidly thrilled, even if Cas already worked in a 'Plan B'. He couldn't blame him. It was a big change and he would've planned the same. Probably... OK—he really wouldn't've; he usually rushed into things with both feet, without a second thought. But it usually worked out for him.

And this—This felt like the right thing; the kind that would work out.

"You can't stay on the property, 'cause you're not gonna be a guest anymore." He paused, "But I have a house near-by... I can give you a key?"

Castiel raised an eyebrow. "You have a house? I thought you lived here?" he asked, intrigued. He tried to imagine what Dean's house looked like and could only envision a larger version of his cabin; something homey and simple. And probably a really big TV huge speakers.

"Its easier to just stay here most days," Dean said with a shrug. His house wasn't far, maybe a 15 minute drive, but it was really just easier to stay at the ranch, even when he wasn't working. "I haven't been there since Sammy last visited."

Castiel nodded, smiling a little. He kind of hoped he'd get the chance to meet Sam but didn't dwell on it. "Are you... alright with this? Me possibly staying? I don't want to intrude..."

"Of course!" Dean nearly yelled and flung himself into Cas' lap. He hooked an arm behind Cas' neck and kissed him soundly, pulling back with a smile. "This is totally the shit." He looked down and focused on fiddling with the buttons on Cas' shirt. "I was so scared I'd never see you again," he admitted quietly. He looked up and gave Cas a crooked smile, reaching up and gently rubbing a thumb over one rapidly pinking cheekbone. He grinned, he loved making Cas blush (even if he had to say girly, embarrassing shit). It went everywhere and it was really fucking sexy.

Castiel grinned back and pulled Dean into another heated kiss, groaning softly when Dean arched against him. "I couldn't bear the thought either," he admitted, pleased to have said it when Dean's eyes brightened and a dazzling, if not a bit dazed, smile broke across his face. He nuzzled against Dean's neck, nipping and gently trailing kisses across the warm skin. "Now that we've sorted that, I've always wanted to do it outdoors."

Dean laughed and scrambled off Cas' lap enough to shimmy out of his pants. He helped Cas out of his and straddled his lap, sucking on his bottom lip until Cas was making those fantastic sounds and shifting his hips up. He blinked and then laughed when Cas pulled back and pushed a small bottle of lube in his hands.

"Confident little shit, ain't ya?"

Castiel grinned and shrugged; he was pretty confident, yeah. It wasn't like Dean would say no. He flopped onto his back and stretched his arms over his head and wiggled his hips at Dean in invitation. His laugh at Dean's expression quickly turned into a moan when Dean pounced, his hands _every_where.

They probably freaked out Pickles and Impala with the grunted moans but he didn't care.

...

Dean stood, feeling awkward and lost, outside the airport. He hated that he could only go so far with Cas; he kinda like the idea of being a complete sap and waving at the gate thing as Cas boarded the plan. But he couldn't do that and he had to stand outside the airport, hoping the rent-a-cops igored his illegally parked truck and staring at Cas as he tried to stamp down the ridiculous urge to start bawling and clutching at Cas so he couldn't leave.

Cas' sad little smile actually made him feel a little better; he didn't want to leave either and he looked just as ready to pounce and say 'fuck it!' as Dean was. He sighed and inched closer, grabbing Cas' hand and squeezing it. He gasped softly when he was pulled into a tight embrace, but he didn't waste the chance and wrapped his arms just as tightly around Cas.

"That's my cell number," Dean murmured, slipping a notepad page into Castiel's pocket. He lingered, allowing himself a brief moment to fondle, grinning when Cas' face flushed and he gave a half-hearted wiggle to try to dance away from his fingers. "I expect to hear from you, like the minute you land." He nodded expectantly, wishing Cas' phone wasn't dead (and the goober didn't think to bring his charger) so he could program the number in himself.

Castiel nodded and pulled Dean close, his face pressing into his neck. "I will. I'll try not to call too early or late," he whispered, fighting against a lump in his throat. He would almost positive he'd be seeing Dean again but it didn't make it any easier to leave. If only briefly. He ran his hands down Dean's sides, trying to get his fill before he left. It was impossible, really; he could never touch the other man enough. "I'll call as soon as I can, OK?" He felt Dean nod, a choked sound muffled against his hair and closed his eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know," Dean mumbled, not pulling his face away from Cas' neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling away reluctantly. "I must be embarrassing you," he said, clearing his throat and swiping at his wet eyes. He felt like such a girl. On the verge of tears because his man was leaving. He was going to see Cas again, dammit! He smiled gratefully when Cas shook his head and cupped his cheek, he leaned into the touch and smiled a little when he felt Cas' thumb moving along his bottom lip and chin.

He really could stand there for ever, but he knew Cas' time running out. It was tempting to keep quiet so the flight would leave without Cas... "You only have a few minutes," he said, checking the time. Cas had less than a half hour to get through security and board the plane. Even though the airport was small and practically deserted, it would be cutting it close.

Castiel nodded sadly and leaned in for one more quick kiss. He closed his eyes and slowly pulled away. "I'll call as soon as I land." Dean nodded and he smiled, and forced himself to walk away. He paused, only to blow a kiss over his shoulder at the stunned cowboy just as the doors closed behind him and cut of their view from each other.

He sighed, and went through the process of getting back home. It was a longer trip this time, mostly because he was dreading going home and facing his family. He really hoped they'd be understanding and didn't forget he was an adult that could do what he wanted.

...

Dean went about his chores and morning classes, trying like hell to ignore the (silent) heavy weight of his cell phone in his pocket. Impala had finally gotten used to the damn thing whether it buzzed, chimed or screeched out the horrible Robyn song Cas eventually picked for his ringtone. (Even though he had a Pavlovian response whenever he heard 'Who's That Girl', it didn't mean he _liked_ the song.)

Not that it's made any of those distracting sounds in the past few hours. It was starting to grate on his patience; Cas never went this long without responding to his texts or calls. It was almost disgusting how often he felt the urge to speak with Cas, in any form, but it never failed to make him feel gooey and stupid when Cas immediately responded—like he was just as eager.

Especially when Dean sent him interesting pictures or provocative thoughts. Cas was really fucking good at responding to those quickly, too.

Of course, Jo was still a nosy little busybody and stole his phone often so he learned to lock and secure the really good stuff. And the super fluffy stuff that made him go 'holy shit, that's my man!' and feel all mushy inside when Cas sent him something particularly sweet or romantic. Jo, the helpful nosy busybody, said that Cas sending him boring or sweet shit was just as good as the dick pictures or dirty thoughts.

He could see her point, but he really preferred the latter.

Dean was checking the last few feet of fencing before the property ended at the driveway when the sound of tires on the gravel had him looking up and turning a little in his saddle to see who was driving down their driveway. His brows slowly drew together; he wasn't expecting anyone and they were too far out for 'I got lost!' kinda bullshit.

He stood in his saddle, patting Impala when the horse didn't even blink at the sudden move and he nearly fell out of his saddle when he saw Sam's car.

Well. _His _car that he let Sam drive because he couldn't stand the idea of his Baby stuck under a tarp or sitting idle in a garage. He didn't have much use for a car and Bobby's old pick-up suited him fine.

He felt his pulse puck up and his hands sweat when he realized there was another person in the car with his brother. He knew that silhouette...

"Cas?" he whispered, leaning down in his saddle for a better look when his shiny black Impala came to a stop in front of him. He returned Sam's dopey grin, waving briefly, before his eyes settled on the person in the passenger seat.

He slowly straightened when Cas hurried to open the door. He dismounted Impala in that smooth way that had Cas laughing and running around the front of the Impala's hood and nearly tackling him with his body and mouth. "Fuck," he whispered, barely able to make any sounds because Cas' mouth wouldn't leave his. Which was totally cool with him, he could breath later...

"Hello Dean," Castiel murmured when he finally pulled away, sliding both hands in Dean's hair and just enjoying texture against his palms. He was brought into another bone-crushing hug and a tooth-rattling kiss and he laughed, short of breath in no time and having to pull back.

Dean slowly let his grip on Cas loosen, but didn't drop his arms, and looked at Cas incredulously. "Holy shit," he breathed, stunned stupid by the complete shock of having Cas in his arms again. "What the fuck, man?"

"Aren't you pleased to see me?" Castiel asked, raising an eyebrow and trying not to grin.

"Yes," Dean sighed and placed a kiss on Cas' nose. Yeah, he felt like a dork but it was so worth it to see Cas' eyes light up and his face go all soft and gooey. The big ol' sap. "But... what? How?"

Castiel shrugged, unable to really give many details. He went home, told his family what he wanted to do, put his notice in at the university and here he was. It had taken longer than he liked to get everything settled, but it was so worth it to see that look of naked shock and joy on Dean's face. "I couldn't stay away."

"Damn right," Dean said with a smirk. He looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at his brother. "Feel proud of yourself?" he asked, noticing Sam was leaning against Baby looking mighty smug and pleased with himself. He couldn't even be annoyed at the fact that Sammy hadn't told him about sneaking around, making secret plans with his Cas.

Sam just nodded, grinning widely. He hadn't known what to make of Castiel when the guy first called, but he hadn't been able to say no, either. The few phone calls and the car ride here was enough to have him liking the guy. Plus he made Dean make that stupid face that he always laughed at whenever he saw it all over some dude's face in a sappy rom-com flick Jo made him watch.

He was just pleased Dean hadn't heard the pictures being taken.


End file.
